WildCat ride reopens at Cedar Point
6/8/2011SANDUSKY -- Cedar Point’s WildCat was back in service Tuesday after a braking malfunction left seven with bumps and bruises.
The WildCat ride at Cedar Point amusement park reopened at noon Tuesday after one of the ride’s four-person cars continued past a braking area and into the loading station, colliding with another loaded car and causing minor injuries to seven riders on Sunday. Four received on-site first aid, while three were driven to a nearby hospital and then released.
Park officials made adjustments to the braking area on Monday, and ran inspections and test rides Tuesday before re-opening the ride to the public, said Cedar Point Spokesman Robin Innes. Mr. Innes added there was no structural damage to the ride, but did not know whether the collision caused any damage to the cars.
The 50-foot steel WildCat ride, which has seven cars that make sharp turns and reach speeds of 40 miles per hour, opened in 1970 and has carried more than 26 million passengers, which Mr. Innes said is about average for the park’s roller coasters.
Ten WildCat riders suffered similar minor injuries in May, 2008 when one of the cars rolled back down the lift hill and collided with the car behind it.
Cedar Point has contacted the Ohio Department of Agriculture about the incident, even though only accidents — in which a rider is admitted to a hospital — require a report. Erica Pitchford, the department’s spokesman, said inspectors need not investigate the incident since the incident category can include first-aid of any kind in the park.