The Fury 325 roller coaster at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina, is touted as the "tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America." It whips the daring down 1.25 miles of track and up 325 feet into the air at speeds of up to 95 mph for well over three minutes.

It suffices to say the ride was originally built to take the thrill seeker's breath away. However, a park visitor with a keen eye noticed Friday that the ride as it now stands is poised to take a great deal more away from riders.

The New York Times reported that Jeremy Wagner, visiting the park with his daughter, son, and niece Friday, observed a massive crack in the coaster's pillar and captured it on camera.

"I was trying to shoot the video, and my hands were shaking because I knew how quick this could be catastrophic," said Wagner, who noted his 14-year-old daughter had already been on the ride eight times that day.

The park claims to inspect its rides daily, but had allegedly neglected to report or acknowledge the chasm between the support pillar and the joint holding the track in place, reported the Charlotte Observer.

Wagner told CNN that his thinking at the time was, "I'm not an engineer, but that's not right."

Wagner's video shows the two sections of the pillar part ways as a train whips by with riders.

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Wagner turned over the footage of the ostensibly free-floating coaster curve to park officials and later learned they had shut down the ride.

Shelby resident Tiffany Collins Newton posted a photograph taken on June 24, which appears to show the beginnings of the fracture.

"I just hope this leads to MORE inspections and extensive safety checks in the future," wrote Newton, who hadn't noticed the detail until prompted by the news of Fury's closure.

Courney Weber, a spokesman for the park, told the Observer, "The park’s maintenance team is conducting a thorough inspection, and the ride will remain closed until repairs have been completed. ... Safety is our top priority, and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process."

Fox News Digital indicated that state investigators scrutinized the ride on Monday.

Tommy Petty, chief of the state Department of Labor's Amusement Device Bureau, did not reveal what investigators had found, but confirmed that they "already came and went."

The agency said in a statement, "We will be able to make a full assessment and provide further information as it becomes available. Safety always has been and always will be our top priority."

It's been a particularly bad couple of weeks for roller coaster fans.

TheBlaze previously reported that the Jetline roller coaster at Gröna Lund park in Stockholm, Sweden, went off the rails on June 25, killing one rider and injuring several others.

The Jetline travels at 55.9 mph, pulls 4.5 g, hits a height of 90 feet, and runs a track length of just over 2,624 feet.

The front car separated from the train, then came to an abrupt halt, sending its passengers crashing to the ground some 26 feet below.

The independent accredited inspections company Dekra allegedly examined the ride at the beginning of June, noting, "Result: No flaws. Offers reassuring safety."

A roller coaster at the Forest County Festival in Crandon, Wisconsin, got stuck upside down Sunday, leaving thrill seekers helpless and inverted for three hours until emergency responders could extract them, reported WJFW.

According to Capt. Brennan Cook of the Crandon Fire Department, "The ride was recently inspected by the state of Wisconsin here on site, and at this time we don’t have any other information."

Here is what the shuttered Fury 325 looks from a rider's point of view:

Fury 325 Official On-Ride POV youtu.be

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