Man who died after coaster ride had no health problems, family says

Son of Beast to remain closed

The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Amusement Ride Safety Division inspected Son of Beast roller coaster and concluded July 29 that the ride was safe. The result came six weeks after a woman reported she had sustained a burst blood vessel in her brain as a result of riding the coaster on May 31. Kings Island officials announced Monday, Aug. 10, that the ride would stay closed for the remainder of the season. Park officials also said they will not decide what steps they plan to take concerning the ride until the offseason.

MASON — The 38-year-old man who died this weekend following a ride on the Firehawk at Kings Island did not have prior health problems, according to family members.

Homer Shields III of Toledo was at the park Saturday, Aug. 8, with his wife Tina, their two sons, Dylan, 9, and Derek, 12, plus three friends, according to Kris Schaffer, Tina’s aunt. Shields exited Firehawk just after 3:30 p.m. and had difficulty breathing. He was transported to Bethesda North Hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 4:30 p.m.

Kings Island shut down the ride Saturday following Shields’ death and reopened it at 12:10 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, following an inspection by the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Amusement Ride Safety Division. An ODA enforcement officer was on site Monday, Aug. 10, to further investigate the ride, according to ODA spokeswoman Kaleigh Frazier.

Shields had no medical problems prior to Saturday at the park and was conscious of his health, Schaffer said Monday.

“He was healthy,” she said. “He didn’t drink, he didn’t smoke. He didn’t do anything that would... I don’t know, they don’t know what happened.”

Schaffer described Shields as “a really great guy.”

“He was so devoted to his family and his boys,” Schaffer said. “He coached all their sports. He never missed any of their games.”

Schaffer said Shields played college baseball, was involved in several city leagues and passed his love of baseball on to his sons.

He also loved going to amusement parks and “anything outdoors or physical,” Schaffer said.

Shields and his wife had celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary on Aug. 5.

The family was at the park for the weekend with three friends, Schaffer said. Shields boarded the Firehawk with son, Dylan, around 3:30 p.m. Derek was next in line with a group of friends and Tina Shields was in another part of the park.

“They called Tina right away and got her there,” Schaffer said.

Shields would have been 39 years old on Monday, Aug. 17, she said.

A gross autopsy, which is an examination of the body, was performed Sunday, Aug. 9, according to Skip Lawhorn, chief investigator for the coroner’s office. However, cause of death cannot be determined until the coroner’s office completes other testing, including toxicology reports and microscopic examination of tissue.

“It could be a couple of weeks yet before we have all the tests in,” Lawhorn said.

Calling hours are from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Sujkowski Funeral Home Northpointe, 114 E. Alexis Road, Toledo.

Funeral Services are scheduled to start at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, in the funeral home and continue at 11 a.m. with the funeral mass in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.