A worker at Great America suffered "traumatic" injuries after he was dragged about 10 feet by a roller coaster in the park.
On Friday night, around 8:15 p.m., a maintenance worker at Great America went to retrieve a dropped cell phone inside the "Flight Deck" ride and wound up be struck by an incoming train. A park spokesman told KPIX that the train was returning to the loading station when the incident occurred. Witnesses say the park employee was dragged about 10 to 15 feet and struck his head on a metal bar.
"The car was coming full speed and hit him," said witness Isaiah Camacho. "And then he hit his head on the metal bar and he flipped three times."
"It was traumatizing," said Sandra Wiley. "It's not something you would expect to see."
The worker suffered "traumatic" injuries and a rider on Flight Deck suffered a hand injury. Both were taken to the hospital.
Park officials told KGO that they do not believe the ride malfunctioned, but it has been shut down while the incident is being investigated. The usual fireworks show also did not happen last night, according to park visitors.
Flight Deck is a roller coaster that has been there since 1993 and is one where riders have their legs freely dangle. In 1998 a park visitor was killed by the same ride—back when it was known as Top Gun—after he climbed a fence to retrieve a hat. He was kicked in the head by the leg of one of the riders.
According to the Chronicle, there have been five fatalities at the park since it opened in 1976.