A float ran over and killed a costumed Disney worker during a Magic Kingdom parade Wednesday, park officials and police said. Javier Cruz, 38, a father of two and an eight-year Disney veteran, was playing Pluto in the daily afternoon parade. "Javier was a Disney character even when he wasn’t working," said his sister, Wanda Marin, 36, of Orlando. "I used to call him a wingless angel." About 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, he was at work, in a backstage area near Frontierland about to enter the public area of the park when the accident was witnessed by a handful of his co-workers. "We think very few guests saw it, if any," said park spokesman Bill Warren. Disney released few details about the death Wednesday night, citing ongoing investigations by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration. An Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Deputy Carlos Torres, said the death appeared to be accidental.
Survived by Donald, Daisy, Mickey, Minnie, many children and grandchildren. OTOH, the good news is that a 42 year old woman in France married him early this morning. Congrats to Pluto and his new bride! |