Autopsy Report Released For Disney Monorail Driver
Posted: 2:11 pm EDT July 6, 2009Updated: 2:11 pm EDT July 6, 2009
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- An autopsy report was released Monday on the death of a 21-year-old Disney monorail driver who was killed when another monorail crashed into the one he was driving early Sunday morning. Austin Wuennenberg's autopsy report shows that he suffered multiple bodily injuries and that the cause of death was accidental.Officials say that it is standard procedure to send in toxicology reports and those results could be several days away.Officers said the crash happened at the park's ticket and transportation center. About one dozen guards wearing blue Disney security uniforms guarded the monorail station Sunday morning and prevented visitors from approaching.
AT THE SCENE: Images Show Crash Scene, Victim
911 CALLS: 3 People Call For Help
INTERVIEW: Ex-Monorail Pilot Talks To WFTV
VOTE: Will You Still Ride Disney's Monorail?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is helping the Orange County Sheriff's Office with the investigation. OSHA says it could take months before their investigation is complete. The agency will look into whether any workplace safety rules were broken that led to Wuennenberg's death.Three 911 calls (listen to calls) that were made after the crash were released Monday."Um, a monorail was waiting to come into the station, the other cleared and it was a head-on collision," said the caller."Are there any injuries?" asked the 911 operator."I do not know at this time. Very likely," replied the caller.
21-Year-Old Austin Wuennenberg
See Photos Of Victim, Crash Scene The monorail system remained closed Monday afternoon. Reports say that the monorail system will reopen later in the day.Meanwhile, local and federal investigators say they want to know more. The Orange County Sheriff's Office says it's now trying to get computer data from the monorail system as well as Disney radio transmissions to better understand what went wrong at 2:00am Sunday.Wuennenberg was sitting in his train when the second train on the monorail crashed into him. Some Disney guests who were waiting to get on board were still shaken some time after the crash."And that train never stopped at our station, it plowed right through the front of our train," said witness Lawrence Owens.The other train operator was uninjured, but was taken to a hospital because he was emotionally shaken.Eyewitness News spoke on the phone with a Disney employee who says he believes the train that caused the crash was going between 15 and 20 miles per hour when it happened.A spokeswoman for Stetson University in nearby DeLand confirmed that Wuennenberg was a student at the school. Since news of Wuennenberg's death broke, his friends have started a memorial for him on Facebook (view memorial page). The page is filled with dozens of messages of condolences, along with pictures of him with friends at Disney and other theme parks in the area.Despite the fatal crash, former monorail driver told Eyewitness News (watch interview) that he still believes the train system is safe."There's a lot of bells and whistles because the system is so advanced," said the former driver.The former Disney employee says the monorail system includes a safety feature that makes sure the trains are always two lengths apart; they are supposed to stop on their own to prevent a crash. The former driver says someone would have to push an override button for the trains to get close to each other.Disney said it was the first fatal crash in the monorail's 38-year history in the park.
AT THE SCENE: Images Show Crash Scene, Victim
911 CALLS: 3 People Call For Help
INTERVIEW: Ex-Monorail Pilot Talks To WFTV
VOTE: Will You Still Ride Disney's Monorail?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is helping the Orange County Sheriff's Office with the investigation. OSHA says it could take months before their investigation is complete. The agency will look into whether any workplace safety rules were broken that led to Wuennenberg's death.Three 911 calls (listen to calls) that were made after the crash were released Monday."Um, a monorail was waiting to come into the station, the other cleared and it was a head-on collision," said the caller."Are there any injuries?" asked the 911 operator."I do not know at this time. Very likely," replied the caller.

See Photos Of Victim, Crash Scene
Previous Stories:
- July 6, 2009: Former Monorail Pilot Suspects Human Error In Crash
- July 6, 2009: Deadly Monorail Crash At Walt Disney World
Copyright 2009 by WPXI.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.









Where Should We Go For Dinner?
Post An Ad, Shop Online
Find Great Deals At Half Off
10 Ways To Boost Your Confidence
Search Local Dealers Online
Take The Drama Out Of Home Buying


