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Disneyland employee dies after accident in theme park backstage

The president of Disneyland Resort expressed his condolences and says the company is focused on supporting the woman's family and coworkers.
Credit: AP
FILE - Visitors pass through Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., April 30, 2021.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — A Disneyland employee died after she fell from a moving golf cart in the backstage area of the Southern California theme park, authorities said Saturday.

Anaheim police Sgt. Jon McClintock said authorities responded to the Disneyland Resort on Wednesday morning after a woman fell from a moving golf cart and struck her head.

She was taken to the hospital and died on Friday of her injuries, McClintock said in a statement.

Ken Potrock, president of the Disneyland Resort, expressed his condolences and said the company was focused on supporting her family and coworkers.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of Bonnye and offer our sincere condolences to everyone who cared for her,”  Potrock said in a statement. “At this time, we are focused on supporting her family and our castmembers through this tragic event and making sure they have the resources they need.”

The death was reported earlier Saturday by the Orange County Register. The outlet identified the woman as 60-year-old Bonnye Lear. She was an administrator at Disneyland's exclusive Club 33 restaurant and worked for the resort for 24 years. 

The Orange County Register and the Hollywood Reporter cited a Facebook post from a cast member that said Lear was on a rear-facing seat of a golf cart with 3 passengers when the incident happened. According to the post, the driver was going at least 20 mph and when the cart hit a "bump/dip in the road" she went to grab the handrail and "it gave way and sent her out of the vehicle."

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