Around the Nation

Six Flags employee killed by coaster

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — An employee at Six Flags Magic Mountain who was struck and killed by a roller coaster Friday has been identified by authorities. Bantita Rackchamroon, 21, walked onto the Scream roller coaster’s tracks in a restricted area shortly before the park opened, said park spokeswoman Sue Carpenter. She died at a local hospital.

No one was on the ride at the time. Sheriff’s investigators and officials from the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health were called to the park.

Scream, a floorless roller coaster, opened in April 2003. Riders are strapped into chairs with their feet dangling as the ride goes through a series of twists and turns, reaching speeds up to 65 mph. Magic Mountain has 18 other roller coasters on its 260-acre playground of rides and attractions.

Victoria Secret drops TV fashion show

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Victoria’s Secret is dropping its nationally televised fashion show this year, at least partly because of criticism following Janet Jackson’s breast-baring faux pas at the Super Bowl halftime show.

Ed Razek, chief creative officer for the Columbus-based chain, said yesterday the main reason for the decision was so the company can look at new ways to promote the brand. He made the announcement less than three months after the Jackson uproar and a week after federal regulators proposed a $95,000 fine against Clear Channel Communications for vulgar material on “The Howard Stern Show.”

The televised fashion show has generated criticism in the past from groups complaining about supermodels strutting in skimpy underwear. The fashion show, which aired in November the past two years, was televised on ABC in 2001.

Victoria’s Secret has $4 billion in annual sales.

4 women carjacked at toll booth

ORLANDO, Fla. — Four women driving home after a night of dancing were carjacked while stopped at an unmanned toll plaza, and one was sexually assaulted by the man who jumped into their car, police said.

Escalante Toccora Chiles, 22, was charged with carjacking, kidnapping and sexual battery. He was being held without bail yesterday.

The women had stopped at the toll plaza on the East-West Expressway early Friday. When the driver rolled down her window to deposit 50 cents in the coin bin, a man with a gun dived through the window, police said.

Police said Mr. Chiles pointed the pistol at the women and demanded their money. He then ordered the three passengers out of the car and ordered the driver to take him to an industrial park, where he assaulted her and drove away, officials said. Police arrested him hours later.

The driver had called 911 secretly on her cell phone and dropped it out of the car for the others.

Nude statues spur complaints

HARTSVILLE, Tenn. — A garden center’s nude statues proved a bit immodest for some in this small town. G & L Garden Center responded to complaints by covering up the classical-style statues with stylish, two-piece crimson velvet sarongs.

It turns out leaving a little to the imagination meant a lot more customers for the $99.95 ornaments. Six statues have sold in the past couple weeks alone, and the attempt at roadside modesty is stopping traffic. And yes, some customers are peeking.

“They are pulling the tops and looking underneath,” G & L co-owner Angie Langford said. “They wonder what we’re hiding.”

Mrs. Langford doesn’t know who made the anonymous calls complaining about the yard art in this town of 3,500 about 40 miles northeast of Nashville.