California’s Great America Theme Park Accident Injures 2

Two people were hurt on a roller coaster at California’s Great America theme park in Santa Clara on Friday night, reports said. One of the persons, a park maintenance worker, was severely injured in the head by a rider on the Flight Deck roller coaster, where the riders’ legs freely dangle from the ride, ABC 7 News reported.

The visitor and the worker were transported to a nearby hospital after ambulances arrived at the scene. The worker reportedly suffered traumatic injuries and the rider’s hand was injured. Witnesses reportedly said that the worker was trying to retrieve a cell phone that was dropped near the platform of the ride when he was dragged for about 15 feet. Authorities said that it did not seem that the ride had malfunctioned, but added that they were investigating the incident.

Great America's website said that the Flight Deck ride could build a speed of up to 50 mph and that the trains are suspended below the track while riders loop on the outside of the track.

The ride, which is also known as Top Gun, has also been in news before. In 1998, a 25-year-old man was struck in the head and killed by a rider’s foot. The accident happened after the man jumped the fence to retrieve a cap, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing the San Francisco Chronicle. The rider, a 28-year-old woman, suffered a broken leg after the accident.