Man critically injured at Ohio amusement park was struck by roller coaster, officials believe

MASON, Ohio (WDTN) – A man who accessed a restricted area within the Kings Island amusement park in Ohio was critically injured this week, having possibly been struck by a roller coaster, park officials said.

The Mason Police Department responded to a call concerning the Banshee roller coaster at Kings Island, in Mason, on Wednesday night. Officers said the report concerned "a subject down on the ground in one of the restricted areas," per a Mason Police Department press release.

The victim, a 28-year-old male, was determined to have suffered a critical injury. He was transported to a local hospital and then flown to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment.

Police in Mason did not reveal the circumstances surrounding the man's injury. A representative for Kings Island, however, told Nexstar that the man may have been struck by the coaster after accessing the restricted area.

"On Wednesday at approximately 8:00 p.m., a guest entered a restricted, fenced area of the Banshee roller coaster and is believed to have been struck by the ride," a representative for the park wrote in an emailed statement. "The park’s safety and first aid personnel responded immediately to the situation and contacted local emergency responders."

The ride remained closed as of Thursday afternoon, Kings Island confirmed.

"Kings Island’s focus continues to be on the welfare of the guest and his family. There is no additional information to share at this time."

A couple of park-goers on Reddit, who claimed to have seen the man before and after the accident, detailed their experiences at Kings Island on Wednesday night.

"We were in the front row and towards the end of the ride, there was a man's body laying face down in the grass below the coaster," one attendee wrote. "We don't know if he was alive."

The same person, prior to getting on the roller coaster, said they had observed a man "frantically" asking employees "about keys he lost on the ride."

"We saw him go in that door for employees," another claimed. "People tried telling him no but he kept going."

This incident is currently under investigation by the Mason Police Department in coordination with Kings Island.