DARIEN, N.Y. — A western New York amusement park says the roller coaster from which a double-amputee Iraq war veteran was thrown to his death last month will remain shut down for the rest of the season.
Christopher Thorpe, general manager of the Darien Lake Theme Park Resort, said on the park's website Thursday that the Ride of Steel is closed for the rest of 2011 because of repairs requiring customized parts.
The ride was closed for two weeks after James Hackemer died July 8. The 29-year-old father of two had lost both his legs to a roadside bomb in 2008. The ride reopened but was shut down again last week when a chain snapped, stranding 32 passengers on a hill. The park operates on weekends after Labor Day through Oct. 9.
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