A Disneyland employee reportedly died two days after suffering head injuries in a golf cart accident. The Hollywood Reporter. The 60-year-old woman, named Bonnie Mavis Lear, was backstage at the California theme park when the incident occurred.
Anaheim Police and Anaheim Fire Rescue personnel responded to the resort on Wednesday after receiving a report of an accident. The woman, who was a passenger, fell off the moving cart and struck her head. The 60-year-old woman was subsequently transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock offered his condolences and said the company’s top priority was supporting her family and colleagues. “We are heartbroken by the loss of Bonnie and our deepest condolences go out to all who cared about her,” he said in a statement.
“At this time, our focus is on supporting her family and cast members through this tragic event and ensuring they have the resources they need,” Potrock added.
The 60-year-old worked at Disneyland Resort for 24 years, supporting member services for Club 33, the park’s premium private dining club.
Ray Delgado, a cast member at Disney California Adventure Attractions, posted on Facebook that Leah suffered brain swelling and a fractured skull in the accident: “Bonnie was riding in a rear-facing golf cart with three other passengers in the back of Critter Country. The driver of the vehicle was traveling at least 20 mph. The golf cart hit a bump in the road and Bonnie reacted immediately. As she attempted to grab hold of the railing, it gave way and she was thrown from the vehicle. She was pronounced unconscious when emergency responders arrived.”
Employees said that despite surgery, it was “irreparable” and Leah was declared “brain dead” in the early hours of Thursday morning.
“It didn’t need to end up like this. This whole mess could have been avoided if the golf cart driver hadn’t been driving recklessly. The recreation department golf cart was brand new. How could it have broken down?! It’s so unfair to us and our family,” she continued.
“Managers have asked cast members not to speak to anyone about the circumstances of Bonnie’s death. They want silence. They want it forgotten. Justice is ultimately not about blaming someone but about righting a wrong. It’s about taking responsibility. It’s about finding out what went wrong. It’s about fixing what was broken,” the Facebook post read.