Roller coaster hits, kills man

James A. Young II of Ohio lost some belongings on the ride,
then went to retrieve them
Part of the Raptor roller coaster at Sandusky's Cedar Point
struck him
Cedar Point is one of northern Ohio's top destinations, with 17
coasters
(CNN)— A teacher who had ridden one of Cedar Point's
renowned roller coasters lost some of his belongings
on the ride, then got off to track them down -- a
decision that ultimately cost him his life.
That's what police said happened early Thursday
evening at the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park, where
part of the Raptor roller coaster struck James A.
Young II of East Canton.
Young, a 45-year-old special-education teacher, had
been at the park with friends when he hopped on the
Raptor around 5 p.m., Sandusky Assistant Police Chief
Phil Frost told reporters.
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Young had lost his cell phone and wallet on the ride,
according to his mother.
Young "jumped over a fence into a restricted area
under the Raptor and was looking for his personal
belongings," Frost said. "(He) was struck by the Raptor
train that was in operation."
According to Cedar Point spokesman Bryan Edwards,
"Park safety officials responded immediately to the
situation. Unfortunately, the guest has passed away."
No one else was injured in the incident, according to
Frost.
Young's mother, Brenda Young, told CNN that her son
"loved going to Cedar Point with his best friends."
She described her son as "so loving, so full of life," and
said he was known for his generosity and love for his
students.
"He went over and above for them. He once bought a
pair of shoes for boy who didn't have any," Brenda
Young said.
"There was no bullying when he was around. He made
such an impact on their lives, I can't believe he's
gone."
Young had just landed his dream job as a high school
guidance counselor, according to his mother.
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As one of the top attractions in north-central Ohio, on
the shores of Lake Erie, Cedar Point has attracted
legions of visitors since opening 146 years ago -- a fact
that makes it North America's second oldest
continually operated amusement park, according to its
website .
Roller coasters are a big part of the draw, with Cedar
Point boasting more than 10 miles of track and
claiming to be the "Roller Coaster Capital of the World."
Raptor is one of Cedar Park's 17 coasters, twisting
people up, down and around at speeds reaching 57
mph, though Frost didn't say how fast it was going at
the time of the incident.