Teacher dies after being thrown from Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia
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The gist
A 42-year-old teacher died after being thrown from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.
The death renewed calls for federal oversight of fixed-site park rides.
Background
Six Flags is an amusement park company that in March announced plans to sell seven North American theme parks to EPR Properties for about $331 million to cut debt. Hassan Kariem, a 42-year-old public school teacher and father, died after being thrown from the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell, Georgia. The accident put a spotlight on how US ride safety is regulated: the Consumer Product Safety Commission oversees rides that can be set up and torn down, like state-fair rides, while fixed-site rides fall under a patchwork of state rules.
How it unfolded
- Mar 6, 2026Six Flags announced plans to sell seven North American theme parks to EPR Properties for about $331 million to reduce debt and streamline operations.
- Oct 13, 2026A fatal accident occurred on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.
- Oct 14, 2026The Goliath train was seen on the track where it was evacuated at the park in Austell, Georgia.
- Oct 16, 2026Six Flags told USA Today it renamed a Halloween-themed show from Dr. Fright's Dead Man's Party to Dr. Fright's Party out of respect for the recent incident.
- Oct 19, 2026Hassan Kariem, 42, was to be laid to rest; calls for federal oversight of amusement parks followed one week after the accident.
- Oct 22, 2026CBS News reported on what the death investigation will focus on, according to roller coaster inspection experts; separately, an 18-year-old woman died after falling from the El Péndulo ride at a festival in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
- Oct 23, 2026The National Desk published a fact check on who regulates roller coaster safety in the US, citing the fatal accident and the temporary closure of nine rides across six Six Flags parks; Indiana Congressman Andre Carson told The New York Times he has for years tried to pass legislation creating more federal oversight.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Six Flags offered condolences and said guest and team-member safety remains its highest priority, with inspections and procedures that meet or exceed industry standards.
- Party
- The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions supports state-based oversight because it lets regulators work directly with attractions in their jurisdictions.
- Support
- Indiana Congressman Andre Carson told The New York Times he has for years tried to pass legislation creating more federal oversight of amusement parks.
- Caution
- Attorney Christopher Bulone, representing people suing Six Flags over X2 coaster injuries, called the company's response "too little, too late" and said it could have closed the X2 earlier.
- Expert
- Engineer Troy Richardson said a March inspection note about bushings could be significant, since even a small bushing defect can be a major problem; former employee Henderson said she resigned in July 2025 because she was not comfortable with the inspection process.
Still unverified
Six Flags "apparently" recently changed the name of the Halloween-themed performance, per the source's wording. In the Mexico case, authorities had not named the ride's operators and no arrests had been made as of the middle of the week.