Man struck, killed by roller coaster at Cedar Point

Sandusky, Ohio — A man entered a restricted area at Ohio’s Cedar Point amusement park to look for a lost cellphone and was struck and killed by a roller coaster, police said Thursday.

James A. Young had just finished riding the Raptor on Thursday evening and jumped over a fence to retrieve something he dropped during the 57 mph ride. The Erie County coroner said it was his cellphone.

Sandusky police said Young was struck by the ride or someone on it. No one else was hurt.

Police identified Young as a 45-year-old resident of East Canton, Ohio, the Sandusky Register reported.

The park in Sandusky confirmed the death in a statement on its Twitter account and Facebook page. The statement said about 5 p.m., “a guest entered a restricted, fenced area of Raptor and was struck by the ride.” The statement added: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family at this time.”

The Raptor and Blue Streak rides weren’t operating for more than an hour after the accident, but foot and vehicle traffic at the park continued as usual, the Sandusky Register reported.

A Cedar Point representative said park officials would not be releasing additional information Thursday night and Sandusky police are handling the investigation.

The amusement park sits along Lake Erie in Sandusky and has billed itself as the best in the world.

It has more than 150 rides, shows and attractions. It is in its 146th season of operation, “making it the second oldest continually operated amusement park in North America,” the park website said.

News of the accident and death drew many shocked responses on Twitter.

“People will go to the extreme to get their cell phones,” one user wrote Thursday night.