Fatal Goliath ejection tests safety duty and rule of law

Logan Conner was on the Goliath roller coaster with his fiancée when the man came out of his seat. “The man started levitating in the air sideways,” Conner told NBC. “We made direct eye contact with him.”

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, of Atlanta, was ejected from the ride at Six Flags Over Georgia just before 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. He struck other riders and the coaster multiple times, then fell beneath it. Cobb County officers found him unresponsive and not breathing. He died. At least four other people were injured. Officials have not released their conditions or the cause of the ejection.

The park sits in Austell and Mableton in Cobb County. It was open Monday for the Columbus Day holiday on what is normally an offseason weekday and is scheduled to reopen Friday. Goliath opened in 2006. It reaches 200 feet, hits 70 mph, runs 210 seconds, and travels 4,480 feet.

Witnesses described the sequence in plain terms. One said, “He fell and hit the car three different times.” Another told 11Alive that blood landed on riders and that the body fell behind a haunted attraction: “His blood splattered over everybody, and his body fell behind one of the haunted attractions.” A couple on the ride said the day flipped in an instant. “It went from having a great time to just screaming, ‘Oh my God, what is happening.’”

Conner Thompson was waiting to board when the train came back. “As I looked at the train, I saw that there was a seat that was unlatched completely and people were yelling that someone had fallen out,” he said. “Everyone on the ride was very distressed. Yelling and wanting to get off the ride, they couldn’t get off fast enough.” Ben Edwards was aboard when the coaster made an emergency stop and left cars stranded on an incline on the first hill. “We just got stuck there,” he said. Some riders reported being held more than an hour. NewsChopper2 footage showed passengers brought down four at a time by emergency stairway.

Cobb County Police activated the Major Crimes Unit. Investigators interviewed witnesses and employees. Preliminary accounts indicate Kariem hit other guests when he was ejected and fell beneath the ride. The Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire opened its own investigation the next morning, stating it is conducting an in-depth review to determine the circumstances and to ensure full compliance with applicable policies and procedures. The office said it could not provide further details while the matter remains open.

Six Flags said it is deeply saddened, is supporting guests and staff who were affected, responded immediately with local authorities, and is cooperating fully. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, the company withheld further detail. Citing an abundance of caution, it temporarily closed nine similar roller coasters across six parks: Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America, Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland, Fury 325 and Thunder Striker at Carowinds, and Orion and Diamondback at Kings Island.

Mableton Mayor Michael Owens issued condolences and said Public Safety Director Dr. Kerry Stallings is coordinating with Cobb County Police and park security. Lisa N. Cupid, chairwoman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, called the fall “a terrible tragedy” and said the county is working with Six Flags during the police investigation. “I cannot imagine the horror the patrons and employees witnessed today, and my heart aches for the family who lost a loved one,” she said. She noted that Six Flags Over Georgia is a significant part of the region’s tourism landscape and asked the public to keep in mind the family of the deceased, the injured, park employees, and the community.

On its website, Six Flags states that safety is “a culture that influences every decision we make” and that rides are inspected daily. The company has not announced when the suspended coasters will reopen. Authorities have not confirmed what led to the ejection. The death is at least the seventh at the park since 1989, according to a tally by the Doan Law Firm; a man died on Goliath in 2006 after what the firm described as a likely heart attack.