Six Flags Magic Mountain has permanently retired X2, one of the best-known roller coasters in California. The decision followed a run of serious injury claims and lawsuits. The headline number needs context, though. Roughly 400 people have contacted one law firm saying they were hurt on the ride, and a smaller group of more than 100 say they suffered brain injuries.
None of those injury claims has been proven in court. This article separates what has been confirmed from what is still only alleged.
The Closure Announcement
The Valencia park announced the decision on Tuesday, September 29, after X2 had been shut since July.[1] “After almost 20 years, we have decided to permanently retire X2,” park President Brian Oerding said.[1] Six Flags says the ride has been part of the park for decades and is a signature attraction.
The company didn’t concede a safety defect. Oerding wrote that X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, but the park decided to close it because it believed that was the right thing to do.[2] He also said that when guest confidence is affected, the company takes it seriously.[2]
Where the 400 Figure Comes From
The number comes from the plaintiffs’ side. Dordick Law’s Gary Dordick clarified that about 400 people have told the firm they were injured on X2, and more than 100 of them claim some type of traumatic brain injury.[3] So “400 brain injuries” overstates what is known. The more careful reading is about 400 people reporting injuries of some kind.
Different outlets have reported the figures differently. Some headlines say more than 100 riders, and others say more than 400. The firm said the contacts came after a CNN investigation, and that more than 100 reported brain injuries after riding X2 in the past two years.[4] These are self-reported claims, and they haven’t been independently verified.
The Two Incidents in July
The closure traces back to two cases in July. Pamela Guillen, 40, suffered a severe subdural hematoma and brain compression after riding on July 5. She had emergency surgery that required doctors to remove part of her skull, her family told CNN.[5] Her lawyers say she was riding to celebrate her daughter’s 16th birthday.[6]
Less than a week later, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson of Los Angeles lost consciousness after riding X2 and had emergency brain surgery.[5] Her attorney says she remains on a ventilator after emergency surgeries.[7] Both women were taken to the same Santa Clarita emergency room.[4]
What the CNN Investigation Found
CNN’s reporting appears to have been a turning point. It said allegations of injuries on the ride go back more than a decade but had largely been kept under wraps. CNN documented more than a dozen reports of serious injuries and hospitalizations, including at least two deaths.[2] That is a smaller and more specific figure than the hundreds of claims now circulating.
Reports on the death toll vary. One outlet says at least three deaths have been linked to the ride.[4] Dordick Law’s own site refers to serious brain injuries and one death[6]. Without court findings, it’s safest to say that deaths have been alleged or linked to the ride, and that the counts differ by source.
Why X2 Is Such an Unusual Ride
X2 is not a typical coaster. It has precipitous drops and jarring twists, with seats that swivel 360 degrees as cars reach speeds of up to 80 miles an hour.[8] Its rotating seats make it a very different physical experience from a standard forward-facing coaster.
The plaintiffs’ lawyers argue that this design is the problem. Attorney Christopher Bulone has said the design is inherently dangerous in a way no reasonable rider would expect.[9] His firm says medical and engineering experts have prepared materials on the alleged mechanism of injury.[6] Those materials haven’t been tested in court, and the company disputes the claim.
The Lawsuits and the Earlier Hawley Case
On September 22, Dordick Law announced three lawsuits alleging catastrophic brain damage in guests who rode X2 earlier this year.[3] One plaintiff, Los Angeles lawyer Michael Wilk, says he suffered a severe brain hemorrhage after riding in February and can no longer practice law because of permanent cognitive and language impairment.[4] A separate lawsuit scheduled for next year involves Sheila Katerelos, 56, who alleges she suffered a traumatic brain injury on the ride in 2020.[10]
The ride’s history includes an earlier fatality claim. Christopher Hawley, 22, died a day after riding X2 in June 2022, according to his family’s lawsuit.[11] In August, Six Flags and ride manufacturer S&S Worldwide reached a settlement with his family.[12] A settlement is not a finding of fault.
