Park settles suit with woman hurt in roller coaster incident
SANDUSKY — Cedar Point has reached a financial settlement with a Michigan woman severely injured after a part from the roller coaster Top Thrill Dragster hit her in the head while she was waiting in line for the ride.
The terms of the agreement are confidential, according to Sandusky lawyer James Murray, who represented Rachel Hawes and her family.
The settlement comes just weeks before the ride, which was closed down after the August 2021 incident, reopens to the public after a major rehaul.
Hawes, of Swartz Creek, Michigan, was standing in line for Top Thrill Dragster on Aug. 15, 2021, when a metal plate from a moving roller coaster train traveling at an estimated 120 mph flew off and hit her in the head.
The lawsuit, filed in July 2023, said Hawes suffered traumatic brain injury and will require care in excess of $10 million over the course of her life.
Murray released this statement from both Cedar Point and Hawes:
“Rachel suffered a life-changing injury but has been blessed with a tremendous support network that, along with her resilience, has helped on her journey
towards recovery. Rachel truly appreciates all the pub
lic’s support and prayers and Cedar Fair’s cooperation and open communication with her family and their counsel. While terms of the settlement are confidential, the parties were able to come to a fair and equitable agreement that satisfies both parties.”
Cedar Point spokesman Tony Clark declined additional comment.
Murray said the settlement covers Cedar Point and Intamin, the manufacturer of the ride, both of which were named in the suit.
The ride, with a 420-foot first hill and top speed of 120 mph, was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world when it debuted in 2003, but was a challenge for the park to maintain and experienced frequent down time.
In early 2022, after a monthslong investigation, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which regulates amusement park rides, determined that Cedar Point did not violate any laws or rules in its operations or maintenance of the coaster.
Cedar Point shut down the ride after the incident. In August 2023, the park announced it was rehauling the ride, adding new trains and new track.
It chose a new company, Zamperla, to design the new ride, which will be called Top Thrill 2.
It is set to debut on May 4, the park’s opening day for 2024.