MASON, Ohio — A man died days after he entered a restricted area to retrieve his lost keys at Kings Island and was struck by a roller coaster.
The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office confirmed that 38-year-old Arntanaro Nelson, of Wilmington, died at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Friday.
Officials from Kings Island issued a statement last week saying a guest went into a restricted area of the Banshee roller coaster and was believed to have been hit by the ride.
Nelson dropped his keys while riding the Banshee, an inverted roller coaster where the train dangles from the track, and then went into the restricted area and was struck by the coaster, according to Mason police.
Nelson was found on the ground with an injury. He was taken to the UC Medical Center with critical injuries before he ultimately died.
The coroner’s office has listed Nelson’s death as a “suspected accident,” but it remains under investigation. His death was announced on Monday.
“Kings Island’s focus continues to be on the welfare of the guest and his family,” amusement park officials said in a statement.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Amusement Ride Safety and Fairs was contacted last week by Kings Island for inspectors to examine the Banshee, according to WCPO.
After the inspection, ODA said the ride was operating with Ohio’s laws and rules.
The roller coaster was shut down after the accident but reopened Saturday.
According to the park’s website, the Banshee is the world’s longest steel inverted roller coaster and reaches speeds of 68 mph (109 kph). The park is in Mason, which is about 24 miles (38 kilometers) northeast of Cincinnati.
