45-Year-Old Teacher Struck, Killed After Entering Roller Coaster's Restricted Area to Search for Lost Cellphone

SANDUSKY, Ohio (TheBlaze/AP) -- A man who entered a restricted area at Ohio's Cedar Point amusement park to look for a lost cellphone has been struck by a roller coaster and killed.

Police say 45-year-old James A. Young had just finished riding the Raptor on Thursday and jumped over a fence to retrieve something he dropped during the 57 mph ride. The Erie County coroner says it was his cellphone.

Police said 45-year-old Jim Young of Ohio died at Cedar Point amusement park after he was struck by a roller coaster in a restricted area. (Image source: WEWS-TV)

Sandusky police say Young was struck by the ride or someone on it. No one else was hurt.

At 5 pm, a guest entered a restricted, fenced area of Raptor and was struck by the ride. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.

— Cedar Point (@cedarpoint) August 13, 2015

The amusement park sits along Lake Erie in Sandusky and has billed itself as the best in the world.

The park confirms the death in a statement saying "a guest entered a restricted, fenced area of Raptor and was struck by the ride." It says its "thoughts and prayers go out to the family."

Here's the police department's statement:

WEWS-TV reported that Young from East Canton was a teacher at the Lewisville School District. A witness told the news station she saw a man lying on the ground as paramedics tried to revive him.

Watch the report:

Several roller coasters were closed after the incident.

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Front page image via Shutterstock.com.