Man struck by roller coaster while trying to retrieve keys in restricted area dies: police

Kings Island guest was found with a 'critical injury'

Ohio man hit by roller coaster at amusement park

A 38-year-old man was struck by a roller coaster at Kings Landing in Mason, Ohio, on June 19. (Credit: WXIX)

An amusement park guest who was hit by a high-speed roller coaster last week has died of his injuries, authorities say.

Wilmington, Ohio, resident Arntanaro Nelson, 38, was struck by the Banshee roller coaster at the Kings Island amusement park in Mason on Wednesday. The park is located around 25 miles northeast of Cincinnati.

Nelson was found with a "critical injury" and was rushed to a hospital for treatment. Ohio officials announced on Monday that Nelson passed away on Friday. 

At the time of the incident, the Mason Police Department reported that the victim was in a restricted area of the park at the time of the accident. He was reportedly looking for his keys under the ride.

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Roller coaster

A 38-year-old man was taken to the hospital after he was hit by the Banshee roller coaster Wednesday night. (King's Island Amusement Park)

The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office listed Nelson's death as a "suspected accident." His death remains under investigation.

The Banshee roller coaster closed down after the incident, but reopened on Saturday. Kings Island's website claims that Banshee is the world’s longest steel inverted roller coaster.

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Kings Island picture

Kings Island amusement and water park in Mason, Ohio. (Liz Dufour/The Enquirer via Imagn Content Services LLC)

"Banshee features the following succession of breath-taking thrills: A 167-foot lift hill, 150-foot curved first drop, a dive loop, a vertical loop encircling the lift hill, a zero-gravity roll, a pair of batwing inversions, outside loop, spiral, in-line roll and carousel, all at speeds up to 68 mph!" the website reads. 

"As a result of the natural terrain underneath Banshee, riders experience an elevation change of 208 feet from the highest point of the ride – the 167-foot tall lift hill – and the lowest point with the batwing inversions."

Kings Island entrance

The 364-acre park is located off Interstate 71 in Mason, Ohio, and is owned by Cedar Fair. (Liz Dufour/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK)

Fox News Digital reached out to Kings Island for a statement, but did not immediately hear back.

The Associated Press and Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

Andrea Vacchiano is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. You can follow her on X at @andrea_vacch or send story tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Authored by Andrea Vacchiano via FoxNews June 24th 2024