Six Flags closes X2 roller coaster after 100+ brain injury claims

Six Flags Magic Mountain permanently closed the X2 roller coaster after more than 100 riders alleged serious brain injuries, following a 2022 death and multiple recent hospitalizations. The park said it passed safety tests but chose closure to protect guest confidence, though attorneys for injured riders argue the decision came too late and lawsuits will continue.

Quick Facts

Permanent closure of X2 roller coaster
Multiple lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries
Emergency brain surgeries required for multiple riders
Wrongful death settlement (Christopher Hawley family)
Investigation by California Division of Occupational Safety and Health

Six Flags Magic Mountain announced Tuesday that it will permanently retire the X2 roller coaster after more than 100 riders alleged they suffered serious brain injuries from the attraction. The decision marks the end of the ride's nearly 20-year operation at the Southern California theme park. Park President Brian Oerding stated that while X2 "consistently passed a multitude of safety tests," the park chose closure "because we believe it's the right thing to do" and cited concerns about guest confidence.

The ride has been closed since July 12, 2026, following two separate hospitalisations. On July 5, Pamela Guillen collapsed after exiting and required emergency brain surgery for a subdural hematoma. Six days later, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, age 25, suffered massive brain bleeding and remains in a vegetative state on a ventilator. Both incidents prompted emergency hospitalisation. Dordick Law Corporation, representing the plaintiffs, reports that approximately 400 people have contacted the firm alleging ride-related injuries, with over 100 filed claims and more lawsuits expected.

The announcement follows Six Flags' August settlement of a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of Christopher Hawley, a 22-year-old who died in 2022 from blunt-force head trauma sustained while riding X2. Medical examiners determined his death resulted from the head injury. Last week, three additional lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed against the park.

The X2 debuted in 2002 as the world's first "fourth-dimension" roller coaster under the name X, underwent repairs for design flaws, and reopened in 2008 as X2 with new trains. The ride reached speeds of 76 mph (122 kph), measured 3,610 feet (1,100 metres) in length, and featured 360-degree rotating seats and two "raven turns"—half loops that became vertical drops. According to Six Flags, the ride had been ridden by more than 16 million people over its operational lifetime.

Attorneys for injured riders stated that permanent closure "comes too late" for those already harmed and emphasised Six Flags' responsibility for existing victims. Gary Dordick, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said lawsuits would continue: "Six Flags must now take responsibility for them. We will keep fighting for every rider who was injured on X2." The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health initiated an investigation following the July incidents, which remains ongoing.

Topics

Health Business World

#amusement park #roller coaster closure #traumatic brain injury #California safety investigation #Six Flags Magic Mountain #wrongful death settlement #theme park safety #X2 #brain injury lawsuits

Entities

Why This Matters

Six Flags Magic Mountain's permanent closure of X2 affects ongoing litigation involving over 100 claimants and pending investigations by California safety regulators. The decision follows a 2022 death, recent emergency hospitalizations requiring brain surgery, and over 400 reported injury inquiries to plaintiff counsel. Legal proceedings will determine liability for medical costs and damages; regulatory findings may influence safety standards for rotating-seat coasters industry-wide. The park's August settlement with the Hawley family and ongoing California Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigation will inform future operator protocols.

Timeline & Sources

Jan 1, 2002

Wire

X2 roller coaster (originally named X) opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain as world's first fourth-dimension roller coaster

Jan 1, 2007

Wire

X closed again to replace trains with lighter versions

Jul 12, 2026

Wire

Six Flags Magic Mountain closes X2 ride indefinitely following hospitalizations

Sep 29, 2026

Wire

Six Flags Magic Mountain announces permanent closure of X2 roller coaster