SANDUSKY, OH. (WWJ) -- When Cedar Point reopens this spring, one popular roller coaster will be noticeably quiet.
Park officials announced that the Top Thrill Dragster will not be operating in 2022 after a park goer was seriously injured last summer.
The 44-year-old woman from Michigan was waiting in line for the ride on August 15, 2021 when a piece of metal came loose from the coaster and struck her in the head.
Following the incident, officials from the park sent parts of the ride to a lab so that it could be determined how exactly a piece became dislodged.
Now, the results from that investigation have been revealed.
A lengthy report from the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) released on Friday states that the part that struck the woman was the "proximity flag plate,” which sends a signal to the operator when the train has crossed a certain point along the track.
Further investigation revealed that the fasteners connecting the part failed in what ODA officials called an “instantaneous overload fracture.”
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Cedar Point was able to show proof that the flag plate had no signs of damage when it was inspected the night before the August 15 incident.
However, theme park officials also stated that their typically annual “standard overhaul procedures” had not been performed in 2021 because rides had been operating less frequently due to pandemic-related park closures.
Still, the ODA’s report concluded there was “insufficient evidence to find the actions or inactions of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (Cedar Point) violated any of the laws,” and “is not recommending any administrative action" against the park.
The Top Thrill Dragster, which first debuted at Cedar Point in 2003, could still live to ride another day in future seasons if the park completes a list of repairs handed down from the ODA.
Other rides missing from Cedar Point this year will include the Antique Cars Ride and the Wicked Twister, both of which were demolished during the off-season.
Cedar Point has also raised ticket prices for 2022, and announced they are going cashless when the park reopens on May 7.
Find more more information at CedarPoint.com.
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