Six Flags Magic Mountain Retires Roller Coaster Amid Brain Injury Lawsuits

Six Flags Magic Mountain has permanently retired its famous X2 roller coaster following a mounting wave of lawsuits and reports linking the high-speed thrill ride to severe brain injuries and fatalities, according to park officials.

The Southern California theme park announced the permanent closure after the ride had already sat idle since the evening of July 12, according to reporting by HuffPost. The temporary shutdown was triggered when two women suffered life-threatening brain hemorrhages after riding the coaster just days apart in July, a sequence of events first brought to light by a CNN investigation.

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Six Flags X2 roller coaster — Permanently Closed Following Lawsuits

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Opened initially in 2002 under the name X as the world's first fourth-dimension roller coaster, the ride underwent major renovations before reopening as X2 in 2008 with lighter trains, special effects, and rotating seats. Spanning 3,610 feet of track, the attraction reached speeds of up to 76 mph while executing rapid twists, drops, and raven turns where seats flipped 360 degrees independently from the track. Over its nearly 20-year run, the coaster carried more than 16 million passengers and built a devoted following among thrill-seekers, as noted by Anadolu Agency.

park president Brian Oerding addressed the closure in an online operational update. 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, Oerding stated, adding that ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.

Legal scrutiny surrounding the ride intensified significantly following the July hospitalizations. Pamela Guillen, 40, lost consciousness shortly after riding X2 on July 5 while celebrating her daughter's birthday. Attorneys at Dordick Law Corporation stated that the ride repeatedly slammed Guillen's head against the headrest, leaving her with an acute subdural hematoma and brain compression that necessitated emergency surgery to remove part of her skull. She remained unconscious for roughly two weeks.

Just six days later, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson collapsed immediately after exiting the ride. According to her legal team, she suffered massive brain bleeding, underwent emergency surgery, and remains hospitalized in a semi-conscious or vegetative state, entirely dependent on a ventilator.

The legal challenges extend beyond recent filings. In August, Six Flags and ride vehicle manufacturer S&S Worldwide reached a settlement with the family of Christopher Hawley, a 22-year-old man who died from blunt head trauma in June 2022 just a day after riding X2, as reported by Time Magazine.

Plaintiffs' legal team, led by Gary Dordick and Christopher Bulone, asserts that more than 100 individuals have contacted their firm claiming to have suffered traumatic brain injuries on X2 over the past two years. Attorneys maintain that the amusement park failed to adequately warn guests of the potential for severe head trauma.

Medical and academic experts consulted across the reporting shed light on the biomechanics behind such injuries. Lyndia Wu, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of British Columbia, explained that brain tissue possesses very low rigidity, behaving similarly to gelatine, which leaves it vulnerable to shearing and twisting when the head rapidly accelerates and decelerates. Dr. Michael McDowell of Penn State Children's Hospital and Dr. James Mooney noted that high-energy turns and sudden whips on extreme attractions can stretch blood vessels and neck structures beyond normal physiological limits, posing heightened risks to younger riders or varied body types.

Legal proceedings are also advancing against S&S Worldwide, which designed and manufactured the coaster vehicles, after a state appeals court reinstated the company as a defendant in a separate injury lawsuit.

As Magic Mountain prepares to introduce new attractions, industry observers suggest the permanent retirement of X2 serves as a stark reminder of the safety pressures facing modern theme parks. Further legal filings from the Dordick law firm are expected in the coming weeks, keeping the spotlight fixed on park operator accountability and ride safety standards.