Memorandum
- From
- Connor Quincy via fox - Most Popular
- Date
- Filed
- News·3 min to read
- Re
Woman seriously injured after being ejected from Colorado roller coaster, dragged along track
ReWoman seriously injured after being ejected from Colorado roller coaster, dragged along track
A 60-year-old Texas woman suffered a broken rib, collapsed lung, traumatic brain injury and dislocated shoulder after being ejected from the Rocky Mountain Coaster at Copper Mountain Resort. The ride remains closed while Colorado safety officials investigate.
A 60-year-old woman suffered serious injuries after being ejected from a Colorado roller coaster and dragged along the track while still strapped into her seat, according to her attorney and state officials. Nicki Parker of Texas was riding the Rocky Mountain Coaster at Copper Mountain Resort when she was thrown from her seat and pulled for 20 to 30 seconds as the ride continued moving.
Trent Ongert of Bloch Ongert Injury Law told FOX 31 Denver that Parker sustained a broken rib, a collapsed lung, a traumatic brain injury and a dislocated shoulder that required surgery. She remains hospitalized. Ongert said Parker's husband, who was riding behind her, tried to help her after the incident. "She was lying on the track. He then had to get her out because there was nobody, no way to get to her," he explained. "They're about 15 to 20 feet off the ground."
The incident occurred on Monday, August 17, 2026, according to Colorado's Division of Oil and Public Safety (OPS), which is investigating through its Amusement Rides and Devices Program. The agency confirmed that one rider was injured and that the Rocky Mountain Coaster is currently closed while the investigation continues. OPS has also instructed the manufacturer to publish a safety bulletin and share it with all impacted operators.
A similar ride operating at Purgatory Resort has also been closed pending the outcome of the investigation. Documentation involving the incident will not be made public until the investigation is complete, the agency said.
The Rocky Mountain Coaster, which is 5,800 feet long and bills itself as the "2nd longest alpine coaster in North America," remains closed according to its website. A sign posted along the ride states that the "cart will stop and beep" if a seat belt is disconnected. The resort said in a press release that its thoughts are with the guest and that it wishes her a speedy recovery.
The incident follows a series of amusement ride accidents that have drawn attention to ride safety across the country. In recent years, lawsuits have been filed over incidents at other parks, including a Montana boy killed after being flung from a carnival ride operating with missing restraints, a college graduate who died in a Six Flags roller coaster incident, and teenagers awarded $550,000 after an Oregon amusement park ride left them hanging upside down.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the agency, the resort and Ongert for additional comment.
