Texas woman on roller coaster was assured if seatbelt disconnected, ride would stop. It remained fastened – and allegedly failed to save her

The Rocky Mountain Coaster at Colorado’s Copper Mountain has been closed following a serious incident. On August 17, 60-year-old Nicola Parker was ejected from her cart and dragged along the track. The Texas resident suffered extensive injuries during the ride, including a traumatic brain injury, a dislocated shoulder requiring surgery, and a broken rib that punctured and collapsed her lung.

According to FOX 31, the incident occurred as the cart Parker was in was navigating a curve near the bottom of the alpine coaster. Her attorney, Trent Ongert of the Bloch Ongert Injury Law firm, explained that Parker was thrown from her seat despite her seatbelt being fastened. “It was actually wrapped around her and her and she was dragged along the track as it went down,” he said.

Westword reported that Parker’s clothes were torn off as she was dragged along for an estimated 20 to 30 seconds. Parker’s husband was in the cart directly behind her, and could only watch in “sheer terror” as it happened. Per Summit Daily, the coaster is elevated 15 to 20 feet off the ground in certain sections. Ongert reportedly stated, “She was literally dangling off the side at that point.” Her husband had to then climb the safety netting to pull her back into the car.

A promised safety protocol

A significant point of contention involves the safety mechanisms marketed for the ride. Per FOX 31, signage at the start of the attraction claims that the coaster cart will automatically stop and emit a beeping noise if a seatbelt becomes unfastened. Ongert reportedly pointed out that the promised safety feature failed. “That’s how we know that never occurred. Her car actually continued on even after she was thrown from it,” Ongert said.

Per the outlet, Copper Mountain provided a statement confirming the incident. They wrote, “On Monday, Aug. 17, Copper Mountain Patrol responded to an incident involving a guest on the Rocky Mountain Coaster. When members of patrol arrived, the guest was seated in the cart with their seatbelt fastened.”

The resort mentioned that patrol assisted Parker to the base area, where she was transferred to the care of Summit Fire & EMS. Recently, emergency services also had to rescue eight students after multiple malfunctions left them trapped for hours.

Westword noted that the resort is now participating in an investigation. They stated, “The Coaster is closed while Copper Mountain works with the state Division of Oil and Public Safety and the manufacturer to review the incident.” The resort also expressed, “Our thoughts are with the guest, and we wish them a speedy recovery.”

According to Summit Daily, the department expects the process to take between one and two months. If the investigation concludes that the operator is out of compliance with safety regulations, the state could issue a notice of violation, which might include fines or an order to keep the ride closed until all issues are resolved. Additionally, the state has directed the ride manufacturer to publish a safety bulletin that can be shared with operators of similar equipment.

As reported by PEOPLE, this is the first time the state has recorded such an incident on this specific attraction since it began operation in 2017. The Rocky Mountain Coaster is a 5,800-foot-long track that features 430 feet of vertical drop, 360-degree turns, and manual hand brakes that allow riders to control their speed up to 25 mph. 

A similar ride at Purgatory Resort has also been closed pending the outcome of the state investigation. Recently, Six Flags’ X2 was also closed for investigation after two women were rushed for emergency brain surgery, with injuries similar to that of high-speed collisions.

Per Westword, Parker has undergone three surgeries to address her injuries. According to her other legal representative, Attorney Joseph Bloch, “Parker is just beginning her medical treatment caused by this incident, and her doctors continue to discover new injuries and complications that have required additional surgeries.” He further noted, “This incident will have a severe impact on her, both physically and emotionally, for the rest of her life.”

In a press release, Block also noted, “This is a horrific incident that should have never occurred. Parker had her seat belt fastened at all times, and followed all instructions provided by Copper Mountain. There is simply no way she should have been ejected from the coaster.” 

The firm has not yet filed a lawsuit as they wait for the results of the state investigation. The coaster remains closed as Copper Mountain continues to coordinate with regulators and the manufacturer to determine how the failure occurred.