SANDUSKY, Ohio — "People start screaming, just pandemonium. People started screaming and hopping fences and everybody's running toward where I'm at and trying to get out."
Dave Vallo is a registered ER nurse and said he was in line for Top Thrill Dragster when a woman ahead in the queue was struck in the head by a piece of debris as the ride's train was braking above.
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Vallo said he and about five other people stayed to help the woman.
He says she was conscious, but obviously in bad shape.
"It was traumatizing for a lot of people involved and I can say that the people who, myself and the other medical personnel who were there assisting, we did everything we could with what we had," said Vallo.
"I was by her side, right next to her within 30 seconds of it happening," Vallo explained. "And I'd say Cedar Point's EMS was 10, 15 seconds behind me. They were right there."
Vallo says he has been a level 1 and 2 trauma nurse for about 9 years and understands the severity of the injury.
But he also believes this was a freak accident and says this incident won't change his mind about the safety of Cedar Point rides. He was just happy that he and other witnesses were there and able to help.
"It's very tragic, it's very sad, but I think it was just an accident," said Vallo. "And thankfully, there was enough of us there who were able to jump in and assist the best that we possibly could, as fast as we could."
A portion of video included in the on-air report is courtesy of Sandusky Register.