Roller Coaster Kills Worker 
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Roller coaster accident kills worker
ay 27, 2002 Posted: 8:20 PM EDT (0020 GMT)
AUSTELL, Georgia (AP) -- An amusement park worker was killed when he wandered into the path of an upside-down roller coaster and was struck in the head by a passenger's dangling legs.
Officials at Six Flags Over Georgia were unsure how or why the 58-year-old foreman walked into the locked, no-access area on "Batman, The Ride" on Sunday.
Police identified the man as Samuel Milton Guyton of Atlanta. He had worked at the park since February.
Six Flags General Manager John Odum said he would not have had any reason to be in the area.
"All no-access areas are clearly marked and all employees are cautioned not to enter these areas at any time," said park spokeswoman Lisa Bigazzi-Tilt. "It was very bad judgment."
Passengers on the 50 mph roller coaster are strapped into seats that are attached to a track above them. Milton was struck by a 14-year-old girl whose legs were dangling from the front car and he died Sunday in a hospital.
The girl was hospitalized with leg injuries and released, authorities said.
The ride, which is 109 feet tall and has been open since 1997, was shut down Sunday for inspection by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It was deemed safe for passengers and reopened Monday.
Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Submitted on 05/28/2002
Submitted by:
Nicole
Reference:
AP May 27, 2002
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