California Family Sues Six Flags Over 22-Year-Old's Fatal X2 Head Trauma

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 24

A California family has sued Six Flags Magic Mountain, alleging the X2 roller coaster's defective design caused 22-year-old Christopher Hawley's fatal head injuries after a 2022 ride.
Hawley, a recent San Diego State University graduate, collapsed shortly after getting off X2 and died the next day; the medical examiner ruled his death an accident caused by blunt-force head trauma.
The lawsuit says X2 was exceptionally rough and lacked adequate warnings, with Hawley's brother describing violent jolts that slammed riders' heads into the headrests on the 360-degree rotating coaster.
Six Flags declined to comment on the litigation, but said X2 remains closed after a separate July 2026 incident in which another rider was found unconscious.
A jury trial involving Six Flags, the ride's manufacturer and park employees is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, extending scrutiny of one of the park's most intense attractions.