Colorado History: The Tragic Death of Starr Yelland Jr.

In 1962, a tragic accident took place at Colorado's Elitch Gardens that caused injuries to the son of a well-known broadcaster who passed away as a result a few years later.

Read More: Take a Trip Back in Time to Colorado’s Original Elitch Gardens |

Keep scrolling to learn about the tragic death of Starr Yelland Jr.

Who Was Colorado's Starr Yelland Jr.?

Starr Yelland Jr. was the son of a well-known Colorado broadcaster by the name of Starr Yelland, a man who specialized in sportscasting.

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The younger Yelland would spend the last few years of his life in the hospital, where he was treated for injuries he suffered in an accident on a roller coaster at Elitch Gardens, until he passed away at the age of 17.

What Happened to Colorado's Starr Yelland Jr.?

In 1962, Starr Yelland Jr. visited Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado, for what was supposed to be a fun day riding roller coasters.

However, the day turned tragic when Yelland Jr. stood up on the Wildcat roller coaster in an ironic attempt to touch the sign above the cart that read, "Do Not Stand Up."

This would prove to be a fatal mistake as the attempt to touch the sign knocked him off the coaster, at which point he suffered serious injuries.

Yelland Jr. would spend the next few years in the hospital but would eventually and tragically pass away on August 14, 1965, at the age of 17.

Starr Yelland senior would outlive his son by numerous decades, passing away in 1994 at the age of 79.