COBB COUNTY, GA — State investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a 42-year-old Atlanta educator who was ejected from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday.
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a father who worked as an IT manager and technology teacher at Atlanta’s Wesley International Academy, died after being thrown from the ride. Several other riders were injured.
The Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s Office has joined the investigation into the deadly incident.
Speaking during an Atlanta Press Club debate, Insurance Commissioner John King said investigators are conducting an extensive review.
“They’re currently on the ground looking at every nook and cranny, conducting interviews, and conducting a thorough review of what happened,” King said.
Goliath, which opened 20 years ago, stands more than 200 feet tall and reaches speeds of up to 70 mph.
Atlanta victims’ attorney Andy Rogers says investigators will likely examine the roller coaster’s inspection records, maintenance history, repairs, employee training and safety restraints to determine what happened.
“There are plenty of other layers of potential responsibility, and the design of the roller coaster, the construction of the coaster, the maintenance, the repairs of it, there’s going to be a lot of different places to look to find out what went wrong,” Rogers said.
Rogers believes the ride’s two-decade history could provide important information, particularly if investigators discover a problem involving the restraint system.
“Presumably if problems had been reported with this equipment before that would be documented, and there should be a way to know what was done to address or try to address those problems and whether it was approached appropriately,” Rogers said.
He also raised questions about employee training and supervision, citing his previous legal cases involving Six Flags Over Georgia.
“I suspect, as with some of the other matters we’ve handled against Six Flags Over Georgia, that there are issues around training and supervision that may have contributed to this terrible thing that happened,” Rogers said.
However, investigators have not determined what caused Kariem to be ejected from the roller coaster.
Six Flags has temporarily closed at least nine similar roller coasters at its parks across the United States and Canada following the incident.
Rogers says the decision to close the attractions could be a precautionary measure, although he questioned whether the company had prior knowledge of potential equipment problems.
“You want an operator like Six Flags to be overly cautious. On the other hand it is easy to speculate that maybe there is some knowledge on their part that there may have been a problem with this equipment and they need to shut them all down now,” Rogers said.
The president of Six Flags Over Georgia says the park is cooperating with investigators.
Previous fatal incidents at Six Flags Over Georgia
Monday’s death is not the first fatal incident reported at the amusement park. Previous deaths include:
- Goliath — July 2006: A 45-year-old Alabama man died from a heart attack after riding the roller coaster. An autopsy identified a congenital heart condition, and an inspection found the ride operating normally.
- Batman: The Ride — May 2002: A 58-year-old park foreman died after being struck by a passenger’s legs while inside a restricted area near the operating roller coaster.
- Batman: The Ride — June 2008: A 17-year-old South Carolina teenager was killed after climbing over fences into a restricted area and being struck by a passing roller coaster train.
- Hurricane Harbor Atlanta — May 2014: A 14-year-old girl became ill while using the wave pool and died in July 2014 after experiencing breathing difficulties. The cause of her death was not confirmed to be related to the incident.
- Goliath — October 2026: Kariem died after being ejected from the roller coaster, with several other riders injured. The cause remains under investigation.
Wesley International Academy described Kariem as a “cherished member” of its school community who was “deeply loved and respected” and dedicated to its students.
As investigators continue reviewing the circumstances of his death, Rogers emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of similar attractions.
“Something obviously went wrong, and something this dangerous should not be operated unless it’s absolutely known that it’s safe to do so,” Rogers said.