"He was trying to do something nice for a child," said Marilou Halvorsen, a spokeswoman for the Casino Pier, one of two amusement ride areas on the Seaside Heights boardwalk.

Details of the accident remain sketchy, and police referred all inquiries to the Casino Pier spokeswoman. Halvorsen said it appeared that Stanislav Dragnev was walking underneath or alongside the roller coaster tracks when one of the cars struck him in the head, grievously injuring him.

The ride remained closed Monday pending completion of an investigation by local police and the state Department of Community Affairs, which regulates and inspects all carnival rides in New Jersey.

Chris Donnelly, a spokesman for the department, said the ride was last inspected March 8 and found to be working properly. Inspectors will try to determine whether the ride malfunctioned Sunday, and whether it is still working properly after the accident, he said.

For more information visit International Herald Tribune.