California Family Sues Six Flags Over Fatal Roller Coaster Incident

4 weeks ago 0

A California family has filed a lawsuit against Six Flags Magic Mountain, alleging that a defective ride design led to their 22-year-old son’s fatal head trauma. The incident took place in the summer of 2022 when Christopher Hawley, a San Diego State University graduate, visited the Los Angeles County theme park with his family.

According to reports from Fox 11 Los Angeles, Hawley collapsed shortly after riding the X2 roller coaster and passed away the following day. The X2 coaster had also been involved in another incident on July 5, 2026, where a rider was found unconscious, leading to the ride’s closure for over a month.

‘It was very rough. It just jerked us. It just jerked us all around,’ said his younger brother, Alex, describing the violent nature of the ride.

Christopher’s death was classified as an accident due to blunt-force head trauma caused by the ride. His family described the X2 as unusually rough. His brother Alex detailed how the ride jerked passengers before ending abruptly, causing their heads to collide with the headrests.

After leaving the ride, Christopher appeared notably unwell, with his face turning a deep red before he collapsed. Emergency services transported him to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries the subsequent day, as reported by Fox 11.

The family stated that a surgeon compared Christopher’s injuries to shaken baby syndrome, a condition resulting from violent movements causing the brain to rapidly shift inside the skull.

‘The surgeon had said, he likened it to shaken baby syndrome, that the ride hit his head so hard that it had basically ruptured his brain,’ explained Christopher’s father, William.

While Six Flags declined to provide direct commentary on the lawsuit to Fox News Digital, they informed Fox 11 that the ride remains closed following the July 2026 incident.

A jury trial, involving Six Flags, the X2 roller coaster’s manufacturer, and park employees, is set to begin on September 8. The lawsuit claims the defendants did not adequately warn the public about the ride’s risks. X2, known as one of the park’s most intense attractions, features seats that rotate 360 degrees.