A man died after falling from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday. Several other visitors were also injured in the incident at the theme park near Atlanta.
The man was identified as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old Atlanta resident. He worked as an IT manager, technology teacher, and robotics coach at Wesley International Academy, a public charter school in Atlanta.
The incident took place shortly before 4 p.m. on Columbus Day. Many schools in the area were closed for the fall break, bringing families and other visitors to the park.
Witnesses described a scene of shock as riders returned to the loading area. Some said they saw Kariem fall from the coaster and strike other people before landing on the roof of a haunted house attraction.
A witness told local television reporters that Kariem appeared to hit a coaster car several times as he fell. Two people who were riding the attraction also said he struck the car three times.
One woman said she had been enjoying the ride when the scene suddenly turned frightening. She recalled hearing people scream and ask what was happening. She also said park workers had checked the riders’ safety restraints before the ride began.
Another witness said Kariem appeared to land on a girl seated two rows ahead of her. The girl seemed to be injured, according to the account.
CiCi Nelson was waiting in line for Goliath when a coaster car returned with one seat empty. She said some riders were in distress, and one man was shouting that someone had fallen from the ride.
Nelson said the safety bar over the empty seat appeared loose. She also saw a girl on the car who appeared to have blood on her, she told reporters.
“My stomach just dropped and I was terrified,” Nelson said.
Police have not said what caused Kariem to fall. The Cobb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
Emergency crews rushed to the ride’s loading station. Park staff then cleared the area and directed visitors away while police and medical workers responded.
Nelson said she later saw another coaster car stopped high above the park. She believes her group may have been on the ride if they had not faced a short delay while showing a ride pass on a phone.
The delay meant her group had to wait an extra minute to show a QR code to an attendant. Nelson said she was shaken by the thought that they might otherwise have been on the coaster when the incident occurred.
Other visitors were left stranded on the ride’s steep track. Ben Edwards, who was visiting from Canada, said he and other riders remained stuck high above the park for at least an hour.
Edwards said staff appeared to focus first on the emergency below. From his position, he could see park workers and paramedics gathered near the ride’s entrance.
He said the group realized that something serious had happened. His first concern was for the people who had been riding with him.
Aerial video later showed park staff guiding stranded visitors down a stairway beside the tracks. The evacuation took place at about 5 p.m., according to local television footage.
Rahim Hakmati, a season pass holder, arrived at the park as large groups of visitors were leaving. He heard reports that someone had fallen from Goliath and saw security staff directing people away from the attraction.
Hakamti said he had ridden Goliath the night before and had not noticed anything unusual. He said he had not experienced any problems during his ride.
Goliath is one of the park’s major attractions. The steel hypercoaster reaches a top speed of 70 miles per hour and rises about 200 feet. Its track stretches 4,480 feet, and the ride lasts about 210 seconds.
Kariem was found unresponsive and not breathing when police arrived, according to officials. His death has left colleagues and members of the school community mourning his loss.
Wesley International Academy described him as a valued member of its community. The school said his work had touched the lives of students and staff.
Atlanta Public Schools also offered condolences to Kariem’s family, friends, and loved ones. A district spokesperson said he had worked with the school system for more than 12 years.
Investigators have not announced a cause for the fall. The inquiry remains ongoing as officials seek to establish what happened during the ride.
