Entertainment
Disability played no role in man’s death after riding Universal roller coaster, lawyers say
Lawyers representing the family of a 32-year-old man who died after riding on a Universal Orlando Resort roller coaster said he likely died as a result of an injury incurred during the ride and that his disability played no role in his death.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, who had a spinal disability and used a wheelchair, became unresponsive while on the coaster last week at the recently opened Epic Universe theme park in Florida. He was transported to a local hospital and later died.
Attorneys for Zavala’s family said Monday they believe he hit his head on a restraint during the coaster’s downward thrusts and that he was unconscious for most of the ride. He had no medical issues before boarding the ride, they said.
Natalie Jackson, another of the family’s attorneys, said they believe Zavala suffered repeated head strikes based on what witnesses have said. “His disability did not kill him,” Jackson said. “It was the blunt force trauma.”
The medical examiner for the Orlando area ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt impact injuries and said the manner of death was an accident.
At a news conference in Orlando, the lawyers also took issue with a top Universal executive last weekend saying in a note to employees that “internal findings” showed the ride worked as it should have.
“They are quick to say that, ‘Well, the ride functioned as it was supposed to. Everything works properly.’ Well, just because it didn’t malfunction does not lead us to believe that there were not safety issues because we know something caused him to die,” said famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump, whose law firm is representing the family.
Karen Irwin, Universal Orlando Resort’s president, said in her note that the internal findings showed ride systems functioned normally, equipment was intact and Universal workers followed the proper procedures. Investigators with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said on September 19 that their initial findings align with that of the theme park.
The roller coaster remains closed as Universal conducts a comprehensive review of the ride with its manufacturer.
“Safety is, and always will be, at the forefront of everything we do,” Irwin said.
The ride involved in Zavala’s death, called Stardust Racers, is a dual-launch coaster that reaches speeds up to 62 mph.
Epic Universe was the first major theme park to open in Florida in more than 25 years when it welcomed visitors just before Memorial Day weekend
- US-Pakistan ties have warmed under Trump.
- Trump has already hosted Field Marshal Asim Munir.
- US ties with India have been tested since Trump took office.
US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the White House on Thursday, a Trump administration official told Reuters on Wednesday, with the meeting coming weeks after the two countries agreed to a trade deal.
The prime minister and the US president are expected to hold detailed talks on global and regional issues, with Field Marshal Asim Munir also likely to join the meeting.
US-Pakistan ties have warmed in recent months under Trump after Washington had for years viewed Pakistan’s rival India as a counter to China’s influence in Asia.
Washington’s relations with New Delhi have been tested under the Republican leader over issues such as visa hurdles for Indians, high tariff rates imposed by Trump on goods from India and Trump’s repeated claims that he brokered an India-Pakistan ceasefire in May after the South Asian neighbours engaged in their latest hostilities.
The United States and Pakistan announced a trade deal on July 31 with a 19% tariff rate imposed by Washington. Trump has yet to reach a trade deal with India.
Officials and analysts have noted that after tensions with Washington, New Delhi is recalibrating relations with China as a hedge.
Trump welcomed army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir earlier this year, the first time a US president hosted the head of Pakistan’s army – widely regarded as the most powerful figure in the country – at the White House, unaccompanied by senior Pakistani civilian officials.
“We’re working through a number of issues when it comes to counter-terrorism, when it comes to economic and trade ties,” a senior State Department official told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday when asked about Pakistan.
“And so the president remains focused on advancing US interests in the region, that includes through engaging with Pakistan and their government leaders,” the official said.
When asked about frictions with India, the official said Trump believed in being frank about frustrations in ties, but the relationship was strong. Washington viewed New Delhi as a good friend and partner and believed their relationship would define the 21st century, the official said.
They added that Washington had been working on planning for a summit of the Quad grouping of India, Australia, Japan and the United States that India had been expected to hold in November. That would happen, “if not this year, early next year,” the official said.
Pakistan has backed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, although Islamabad has condemned US ally Israel’s bombardments in Gaza, Qatar and Iran.
Shehbaz was part of a meeting Trump had on Tuesday with leaders of many Muslim-majority countries, where the US president discussed Israel’s assault on Gaza.
Washington says the US shared peace proposals with leaders from those countries in the meeting held on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly.
Emma Watson slammed ‘insane’ beauty standards in Hollywood and praised Pamela Anderson’s bold stand.
During a recent appearance on the September 24 episode of Jay Shetty’s podcast, the Harry Potter alum opened up on the hidden toll of beauty expectations and admitted envy of male co-stars over nil beauty pressure.
“I don’t know how to live up to what I look like on the cover of a magazine. There’s such a glamorization that comes hand in hand with being a public, famous person, especially if you’re a woman,” she told the host. “I feel so envious of my male costar who can put on a T-shirt and just show up without this whole rigmarole of becoming acceptable enough to be on camera.”
The Perks of Being a Wallflower star said elsewhere in the chat, “It’s wild. The expectations are insane. It’s impossible. The beauty expectations are so difficult to reach, and the bar gets raised all the time, so you’re constantly on a survivor island game show beauty nightmare.”
The 35-year-old actress also lauded Pamela Anderson’s courage for her bold move against beauty norms in the industry.
“Kudos to Pamela Anderson recently doing the thing because the amount of courage that it takes to do that, I can not begin to even express to you.”
In a recent interview with Hollywood Authentic published on September 21, the actress talked about her hiatus from acting after she last starred in 2019’s Little Women.
“I think I’ll be honest and straight-forward, and say: I do not miss selling things,” she shared.
“The most important thing, really—or the foundation of your life—is your home and friends and family,” Emma further told the outlet. “I think I worked so hard for so long that my life sort of bottomed out. So I needed to go and do some construction work.
Rihanna and ASAP Rocky’s family has grown into a family of five!
The 37-year-old singer took to her Instagram account on Wednesday, September 24, to announce the birth of her and longtime partner Rocky’s third baby, and their first daughter.
In the heart-melting post, the Barbadian singer posted a sweet picture of their newborn baby girl.
Rihanna revealed that the baby girl’s name in the caption, “Rocki Irish Mayers,” adding the date of birth, “September 12 2025.”
In the snap that appeared to be captured right after her birth, the newly minted mother can be seen holding the little girl, warmly snuggled in her arms.
The little girl was in baby pink pajamas while Rihanna let loose her black locks and wore two pink bows around her elbows.
The Diamonds hitmaker lovingly gazing at her newly born daughter in the gush-worthy snap.
The second slide in the carousel featured a cute small pink boxing gloves placed over a pink sheet.
For the unversed, the Unapologetic singer and ASAP Rocky are also parents to two sons RZA and Riot.
This came after Rocky revealed in a recent interview with Elle that he is hoping for a girl.
“I hope it’s a girl. I really do. We’re praying for a girl. Our first time, we wanted to know the sex of the baby. The second time, we didn’t want to know. Third time, we don’t want to know until, you know,” he shared.
Colette concept store set for a temporary return at the Grand Palais
Messi scores twice, Miami clinches playoff berth
PM Shehbaz to meet Trump at White House today, US official confirms
-
Fashion1 week agoIndia’s new GST makes artisan-made ethnic wear costlier
-
Fashion1 week agoONLY, RE&UP, Deniz Partner to Advance Circular Fashion
-
Fashion1 week agoFrance’s Kering & Mayhoola reaffirm long-term Valentino partnership
-
Fashion1 week agoCanadian brand Roots’ Q2 FY25 sales rise 6.3%, DTC growth hits 12.7%
-
Tech1 week agoIf every US home and personal vehicle goes electric, power outages could spike unless key measures are taken
-
Tech1 week agoThe Apple Watch Series 11 Has Better Battery Life and Satellite Messaging
-
Tech4 days agoAmericans would dominate board of new TikTok US entity: W.House
-
Tech1 week agoThe DOGE Subcommittee Hearing on Weather Modification Was a Nest of Conspiracy Theorizing