Coroner: Ohio woman’s death on roller coaster caused by torn artery, blood loss

SANTA CLAUS, Ind. — An Ohio woman’s death after she rode a roller coaster at a theme park last month was due to a torn artery, loss of blood and force from the ride, an Indiana coroner said.

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According to a news release from Dubois County Coroner Katie Schuck, Dawn R. Jankovic, 47, of Brunswick, died of exsanguination (internal bleeding), avulsion of the right internal thoracic artery and the effects of the roller coaster, WDRB reported.

The force from the roller coaster caused Jankovic’s right internal thoracic artery to tear, resulting in rapid blood loss, Schuck said in her statement.

Jankovic was visiting the Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari in southern Indiana on June 4, WDRB reported. She was found unresponsive after riding The Voyage roller coaster, park officials announced in a Facebook post.

Jankovic and her 17-year-old son were riding the wooden roller coaster when she lost consciousness. Jankovic was treated by Holiday World emergency medical technicians before an ambulance transported her to an area hospital, where she died, WLKY reported.

Jankovic was an employee of University Hospitals, her son, Gunnar Merker, told WJW.

> Woman found unresponsive on roller coaster at Indiana theme park dies

“She was a hard-working mom,” Merker told the television station. “She tried her best to support me in all different ways.”

Merker said he was sitting next to his mother on the ride when she fell unconscious during the ride.

“I feel bad. This kid witnessed everything and he was there by himself before I could actually get to him,” the boy’s father, Gary Merker, told WJW.

Holiday World officials said staff members inspected The Voyage and determined that the roller coaster “operated as it was intended to,” according to the park’s Facebook post last month.

Schuck ruled that Jankovic’s death was accidental, WAVE-TV reported.

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