Roller Coaster Closing After Woman Severely Injured; Was Once World's Fastest

SANDUSKY, OH — Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, once the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, is permanently closing after an accident involving the ride left a woman severely injured, according to reports.

“After 19 seasons in operation with 18 million riders experiencing the world’s first strata coaster, Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is being retired,” the Sandusky amusement park announced Tuesday. “Our team is hard at work, creating a new and reimagined ride experience.”

The coaster has been shuttered for over a year after a piece of the ride fell and hit a woman in the head while she was standing in line, according to the Akron Beacon Journal, which reported that the accident injured the 44-year-old Michigan woman’s brain and sent her to intensive care.

Top Thrill Dragster, which traveled 120 mph, had loose bolts, deformation, impact marks and other signs of wear, the Beacon Journal reported, adding it was eclipsed as the fastest and tallest coaster in the world in 2005 by Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.