Man dies after falling from Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia

A man died after falling from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday afternoon. Cobb County Police identified him on Tuesday as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta. The incident occurred around 3:58 p.m. local time at the park in Austell, about 15 miles northwest of Atlanta. Several other people were injured. Police have not released the exact number or the extent of their injuries. The park closed after the death. Six Flags temporarily closed nine similar roller coasters at six other parks as a precaution.

Witnesses told local stations that Kariem was ejected from his seat near the end of the ride. He struck the train multiple times before falling onto the roof of a haunted house attraction below. One rider said the man began levitating sideways in the air and that they made eye contact. Another said the fall was captured in the ride's souvenir photographs. Kariem was riding with his son. His wife and daughter watched from the ground. The Goliath reaches speeds of up to 70 miles per hour and a height of 200 feet, with drops of 170 and 175 feet. The ride lasts about three and a half minutes.

Cobb County Police Major Crimes Unit detectives are investigating. Six Flags said it was deeply saddened and cooperating with authorities. The manufacturer of the ride said it is actively investigating. Park employees had checked lap-bar restraints before the ride began, according to some riders. Several guests remained on the coaster after the incident and required assistance to exit. The park was open on the Columbus Day holiday, a period when many Atlanta-area schools observe fall break.

Six Flags Over Georgia has recorded at least eight deaths involving customers or employees since it opened in 1967, according to compilations by injury attorneys. The most recent prior incidents involved different rides. The temporary closures at other parks affect attractions with similar designs. The company has not said when the closed rides will reopen. Amusement park safety has faced renewed scrutiny in recent weeks after Six Flags Magic Mountain announced the retirement of the X2 coaster following lawsuits alleging serious brain injuries.

The sequence described by witnesses places the ejection near the final section of the track. The man struck other patrons before leaving the train entirely. The landing on the haunted house roof was observed by people both on the ride and on the ground. No official cause of the ejection has been released. Restraint systems on modern coasters are designed to prevent such outcomes, and investigators will examine the specific mechanism on this train, maintenance records, and the circumstances of the ride. The identification of Kariem allows the investigation to proceed with next-of-kin notification complete. Six Flags has declined to share additional details out of respect for the family.