Six Flags permanently retires X2 roller coaster amid brain injury lawsuits

Six Flags Magic Mountain said Tuesday that the amusement park has decided to “permanently retire” its X2 rollercoaster amid lawsuits alleging serious brain injury caused by the ride.

In a statement, Six Flags Magic Mountain Park President Brian Oerding said, “Since X2 opened in 2008, it has welcomed more than 16 million guests and earned a passionate following among ride enthusiasts. We recognize the special place X2 holds in the coaster community, and we are grateful to our team members who operated and maintained it throughout its run.”

“While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do. Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously,” Oerding explained.

0:30 24 riders stuck on stalled Six Flags roller coaster

Oerding said that the amusement park’s purpose is to “create fun, thrills and a lifetime of memories by creating unforgettable experiences that are underpinned by comprehensive safety policies.”

Story continues below advertisement

The southern California theme park recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022, and three more lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed last week. according to The Associated Press.

The ride has been closed since July 12, after two women who rode the roller coaster less than a week apart both needed to be rushed to the hospital after they exited.

One of the riders, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, collapsed shortly after the ride ended and was found to have massive brain bleeding inside her skull that required emergency brain surgery, according to a lawsuit filed by her family against Six Flags.

Greer-Wilkinson “remains bedridden, ventilator dependent, unable to speak, unable to voluntarily move her extremities, and in a minimally conscious state. She has shown limited neurological improvement, including some ability to open her eyes,” according to the lawsuit, viewed and obtained by Global News.

Her lawyers said more than 100 people have claimed they got brain injuries from the roller coaster in the past two years and that the closure of X2 would not keep them from continuing to file lawsuits.

Get daily National news

Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories.

Lawyer Gary Dordick is also representing 39-year-old Pamela Guillen, who visited Six Flags Magic Mountain with her 16-year-old daughter Camille Marquez in July.

Story continues below advertisement

According to the lawsuit, viewed and obtained by Global News, Marquez noticed her mother was “sitting with a vacant stare and her mouth open” once X2 returned to the station.

“Camille initially thought Pamela was joking. She quickly realized that something was seriously wrong. Pamela attempted to leave the ride but was confused and unstable on her feet. She stumbled after exiting X2 and shortly thereafter collapsed,” the lawsuit says.

Guillen was transported to the hospital, “where imaging revealed a massive intracranial hemorrhage and life-threatening traumatic brain injury,” according to the lawsuit.

“Emergency neurosurgical intervention was required. Pamela has undergone multiple brain surgeries, including craniotomy procedures, as a result of the injuries she sustained after riding X2,” the lawsuit says. “Pamela’s treating physicians and surgeons have concluded that her brain trauma was caused by the forces imposed upon her while riding X2.”

In a third lawsuit against Six Flags Magic Mountain, Michael Wilk alleges that while riding the X2 in February, his “head began slamming violently against the headrest of his seat.”

“Immediately upon exiting the ride, Michael felt ill, with stabbing pain in his head, dizziness, and had difficulty walking.” according to the lawsuit, viewed and obtained by Global News.

Wilk believed that his symptoms would resolve on their own at the time and returned to work the following Monday.

Story continues below advertisement

“In the weeks that followed, Michael’s law partners, associates, and even opposing counsel separately observed a continuing decline in his cognitive function and became alarmed, urging him to seek medical care. As a result, Michael went to see his primary care physician on May 12, 2026. Following his appointment, Michael was ordered to obtain and did undergo a brain MRI on June 4, 2026,” the lawsuit says.

According to the lawsuit, Wilk’s MRI revealed “massive intracranial bleeding, swelling, and midline shift of the brain.”

Wilk’s imaging indicated “that a substantial portion of bleeding had been present for months, consistent with an injury dating back to Michael’s February 7, 2026 ride on X2,” the lawsuit adds.

Global News has reached out to Six Flags Magic Mountain for further comment on the lawsuits, but has not received a response.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health opened an investigation into the ride after the July incidents and said it remains ongoing.

According to the Six Flags Magic Mountain website, the X2 roller coaster reaches a top speed of 76 mph (122 km/h) and has a total length of 3,610 feet. The seats rotate 360 degrees “so your body will be flipping around the entire time,” and the ride features two “raven turns”— half loops that turn into sheer drops midway.

0:44 20 people get stranded on Six Flags roller coaster

The park recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of Christopher Hawley, a 22-year-old who died the day after he rode X2.

Story continues below advertisement

“As X2 approached its conclusion, the ride suddenly, abruptly, and violently jolted to a halt, jarring Decedent Christopher Hawley and the other two boys in their seats,” the lawsuit stated.

According to the lawsuit, Hawley “exited the ride and started walking haltingly down the off-ramp, holding onto the handrail for support. His cousin and brother noticed him walking slowly and holding onto the rail and came to his assistance. At some point, Decedent Christopher Hawley mumbled to his younger brother and cousin that his head hurt.”

“After his cousin and brother came to his assistance, Decedent Christopher Hawley knelt down, and slumped onto his side. His cousin supported him down to the ground, placing one hand on his back and one hand on his head. Decedent Christopher Hawley thereafter lost consciousness,” the lawsuit stated.

Hawley was rushed to the hospital, where a CT scan showed he suffered a “catastrophic right subdural hematoma resulting from the roller coaster,” according to the lawsuit.

Hawley died the next day on June 24, 2022.

The Los Angeles medical examiner’s office said his death was from blunt head trauma.

After Six Flags Magic Mountain announced it was retiring X2, Hawley’s family lawyer, Brent Wisner, released a statement, saying, “The Hawley family has been fighting Six Flags and the X2 for more than three years. While they are relieved to hear that Six Flags is finally closing the X2, it does not change the fact that Christopher Hawley was killed by a dangerous roller coaster that was allowed to operate for nearly two decades. That tragedy cannot be undone.”

Story continues below advertisement

“Wisner Baum is honored to have represented the Hawley family, who lost their son Christopher after he rode X2,” lawyer Timothy A. Loranger said.

“The Hawleys’ goal has always been to bring attention to what happened to their son in hopes that others would not suffer injury or loss. To put it simply, X2 is dangerous. So, it is good to hear that Magic Mountain is shutting the ride down permanently. It’s about time,” Loranger added.

Loranger said that he believes that X2 should have been closed earlier.

“Today’s announcement confirms that X2 should not have been open to the public,” Loranger added. “It’s unfortunate that ‘ride safety’ was not prioritized much sooner to avoid others suffering serious injuries.”