Most of what we know about the first moments of a public emergency comes from the people who lived through it. At Six Flags Over Georgia, where a man died on the Goliath roller coaster, riders have shared what they saw with 11Alive, and those accounts are central to the reporting so far.
A content note before you read on: this report includes graphic witness descriptions that some readers may find upsetting. Every account below is attributed, because a witness account is not the same as a confirmed finding. According to 11Alive, the cause of the accident is not yet known.
How 11Alive Opened Its Report
11Alive began with this sentence: “In a horrifying scene witnessed by dozens of park-goers, a man died after being ejected from a car on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday.”
The outlet also reported that the park said it was “deeply saddened by the guest incident” and that park workers and local authorities responded immediately. Separately, police said a man died and several others were injured, and officials told Channel 2 that four others were hurt.
A Rider's Words
One witness told reporter Cody Alcorn that the falling man was captured on their souvenir picture taken while on the ride.
“He was in our pictures,” the witness said. “He fell and hit the car three different times.”
According to 11Alive, he said the man's body hit others on the ride before falling onto the roof of a haunted house attraction below.
A Detail About the Man's Family
11Alive reported that a woman said the man was on the ride with his son, while his wife and daughter were watching from the ground.
We're passing that along as a witness's statement. The information we have doesn't identify the woman or show officials confirming this detail, and the park and the city have both asked for privacy for the family.
The Couple's Account
A husband and wife on the ride saw the man ejected from his car and bouncing off the coaster three times, 11Alive reported.
“We saw it all,” the man said.
“We were having a great time and to just screaming ‘Oh my God, what is happening?'” the woman said.
Both said workers checked their safety harness before the ride. That's their statement, as reported. The information we have doesn't say how it relates to the investigation, so we aren't drawing a conclusion.
Positions on the Track
The accident left riders stuck on an incline and forced a park evacuation, 11Alive wrote. The outlet reported that the man who died was not on the couple's car, but “on a second coaster that was ahead of them.”
Video from 11Alive's SkyTracker showed the coaster stopped on an incline as of 5 p.m. Workers were in the process of getting the riders out of the cars and onto a stairway.
Same Day, Different Wording
Outlets describe the event in different words, and the differences matter. 11Alive says the man was ejected from a car. Witnesses quoted by CNN affiliate WXIA said they watched the man fall off a roller coaster. The park uses the phrase “guest incident” and doesn't say how it happened.
The ride photo, the landing spot, and the family detail all come from witnesses as reported by 11Alive. The information we have doesn't show that officials have confirmed them.
On evacuation, 11Alive wrote of “a park evacuation,” while Channel 2 reported that riders on the Goliath were evacuated four at a time. The information we have doesn't say the entire park was evacuated, so we're keeping each outlet's wording separate.
Facts About the Goliath
Six Flags Over Georgia is in Cobb County, about 10 miles west of downtown Atlanta, in the City of Mableton. 11Alive reported that the Goliath was manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard and opened in 2006. The Six Flags website, as cited by 11Alive, lists a speed of 70 miles per hour and an elevation of 200 feet.
The Park's Statement, Word for Word
A Six Flags Entertainment Corporation spokesperson shared this full statement with Channel 2 Action News:
We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest's family, friends, and loved ones. We are also providing support to the guests and team members affected.
The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation. Out of respect for the family's privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time.
The City's Statement, Word for Word
The City of Mableton, where the park is located, released this statement from Mayor Michael Owens:
We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident at Six Flags Over Georgia today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the individual's family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time.
Mableton Public Safety Director Dr. Kerry Stallings is coordinating with Cobb County Police and park security as the situation is addressed. We are grateful to the personnel responding to this incident and will continue to support coordination with the appropriate authorities.
Out of respect for the family and the ongoing investigation, we will refrain from commenting further at this time.
Still Unknown
The cause of the accident is not yet known, according to 11Alive. The information we have also doesn't include the man's identity, the condition of those who were injured, whether the Goliath or the park will stay open, or how long the investigation will last. Both the park and the city have said they won't share more at this time out of respect for the family.
Closing Thoughts
Our thoughts are with the man's family, friends, and loved ones, and with the riders and others who witnessed what happened. We'll keep following this story and update this report as officials confirm more.
Look to official sources, including the park, Cobb County police, and the City of Mableton, for updates. If you share this story, please stick to confirmed details and be kind to the people involved.
