Man declared dead after accident on Kings Island, immediate operational changes announced

Following the tragic death of a 38-year-old man, Kings Island has announced operational changes effective immediately.

The Midwest was recently rocked by a brutal incident at Kings Island, a famous amusement park in Mason, Ohio, that sparked a major immediate response by multiple first responders and park authorities.

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Last week, 38-year-old Arntanaro Nelson entered a restricted area beneath the high-speed roller coaster Banshee. Amusement park staff reportedly asked Nelson to leave the area, but the man refused to retrieve a personal item and re-entered the area.

This resulted in a serious collision at 68 miles per hour, resulting in fatal injuries to the victim and the indefinite closure of the roller coaster, as well as triggering an investigation by local authorities and theme park officials.

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Following the accident, journalist Steve Norris (@SteveNorrisTV) released an internal statement urging Kings Island staff to refrain from any discussion of the situation.

The statement also noted that the theme park’s employees and their mental health “are Kings Island’s top priority,” adding that the park’s human resources department has resources available should they need assistance in dealing with the situation.

Kings Island sent a letter to EMPLOYEES today asking them to “not discuss the situation” but too late, they’ve already done so. Also, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (responsible for Ohio’s theme parks) showed up at @KingsIslandPR to begin investigating. #Banshee @sixflags

🎢Kings Island sent a letter to EMPLOYEES today asking them to “not discuss the situation,” but too late, they HAVE already done so. Additionally, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (responsible for Ohio’s theme parks) is at @KingsIslandPR to begin the investigation. #Banshee @SixFlags pic.twitter.com/yvQ0kNNgEI

— Steve Norris (@SteveNorrisTV) 20 June 2024

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Norris likely tagged Six Flags in his post due to the impending merger between Cedar Fair Entertainment Company and Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, as Kings Island will remain a theme park operated by Cedar Fair.

The combined company will reportedly retain the iconic Six Flags name and operate as Six Flags Entertainment Corp. It will trade on the NYSE under Cedar Fair’s ticker symbol “FUN” and will be headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The merger is expected to close on July 1, 2024.

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Earlier today, United Press International released a report saying that Banshee, the Kings Island roller coaster that was the scene of that fatal accident, has resumed operations.

Operations at Banshee were suspended pending an investigation into the brutal incident, which involved Kings Island and Mason police and the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Ride and Fairground Safety Division.

However, the investigation did not take long because the accident was due to the negligence of the victim and not the operator of the attraction.

After making these operational changes and passing the required inspections, Banshee at Kings Island has reopened. According to the UPI report, the high-speed roller coaster has been in operation since Saturday.

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Unfortunately, Arntanaro Nelson, 38, of Wilmington, Ohio, was pronounced dead Friday at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He suffered fatal injuries when he was struck by the 68 mph roller coaster.

According to a report from WLWT5, Nelson’s death was confirmed by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office early this morning.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time a Cedar Fair Entertainment Company theme park has run into trouble this month.

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During June, several incidents were reported at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, involving disorderly conduct by guests and the escape of several animals from The Barn Yard, the amusement park’s petting zoo.

These repeated incidents sparked an online debate and prompted a response from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to investigate the Honey Hill facility in Kentucky.

Guess what day it is? Guess what. day. it. is..???

🐫 Guess what day it is? Guess what. day. it. is…..??? pic.twitter.com/kaJc6GyBL1

— Cedar Point (@cedarpoint) June 12, 2024

Honey Hill Farms supplies camels, goats and other animals to Cedar Point’s petting zoo and other Cedar Fair Entertainment Company amusement parks such as Michigan’s Adventure and Worlds of Fun.

If you or someone you know has witnessed a traumatic event, it’s never too late to seek help processing your feelings. Check out the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) resources here or call 988 in the U.S. for help with acute mental health crises.