Man who fell from roller coaster remains in induced coma

Attorney says Tony Theisen suffered traumatic, life-altering brain injury

MILWAUKEE — Three weeks after falling from the Opa roller coaster at the Mt. Olympus a 63-year-old man remains in an induced coma.

Tony Theisen was visiting Wisconsin Dells with his wife Kay along with another couple.

“Toward the end, one of the last turns of the ride he was ejected off the ride and he was thrown 17 feet,” said Todd R. Korb, an attorney representing the family. “He hit a number of times as he went down and when he hit the ground he hit with his head right on a metal bar and he suffered a skull fracture. He has a fractured scapula, four fractured vertebrae, fractured toes, a fractured finger, dislocated shoulder, but he’s had a traumatic, very life-altering brain injury.”

Korb said a safety test was conducted on the Opa roller coaster on March 25. Sand bags were placed on the ride to simulate the approximate weight of Theisen.

Korb said when the ride reached the point in the track with Theisen was ejected, the lap bar opened up.

A report on the accident blames a faulty lap bar for allowing Theisen to be ejected.