A California family has taken legal action against Six Flags Magic Mountain, claiming that a flawed ride design led to the tragic death of their 22-year-old son on the X2 roller coaster. The lawsuit alleges that the amusement park’s negligence resulted in fatal head injuries.
The heartbreaking event unfolded in the summer of 2022. Christopher Hawley, a recent San Diego State University graduate, had been enjoying a day at the Los Angeles County theme park with his family. According to a report by Fox 11 Los Angeles, Hawley collapsed soon after experiencing the X2 ride and sadly passed away the following day.
An earlier incident involving the same roller coaster occurred on July 5, 2026, when another rider was found unresponsive, leading to the temporary closure of the X2 for over a month, as reported by KTLA. This added to growing concerns about the ride’s safety record.
Authorities declared Christopher’s death accidental, attributing it to blunt-force head trauma incurred from the ride. His family described their experience on the attraction as exceedingly turbulent, highlighting potential safety issues, according to Fox 11.
An aerial view of roller coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Christopher Hawley, 22, reportedly suffered fatal injuries following a ride on the X2 roller coaster. (Christopher Hawley/Facebook)
His younger brother, Alex, described the ride as intensely violent, saying it jerked passengers around before ending with a jolt that sent their heads slamming into the headrests.
“It was very rough. It just jerked us. It just jerked us all around,” Alex told the local station.
“It just jolted us all the way forward and then our heads just swung all the way back into the end to the head.”
After Christopher stepped off the attraction, he reportedly appeared noticeably unwell, with his face turning very red before suddenly collapsing.
Emergency responders rushed him to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries the next day, Fox 11 reported.
The X2 ride, which allegedly caused Christopher Hawley to sustain fatal head trauma, features seats that rotate 360 degrees. (Christopher Hawley/Facebook)
The family said a surgeon compared Hawley’s injuries to shaken baby syndrome, a condition in which violent and sudden forces cause the brain to move rapidly within the skull, potentially resulting in swelling, bruising and bleeding.
“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,” Christopher’s father, William, told the local station.
Six Flags declined to comment directly on the litigation to News Media.
However, the amusement park told Fox 11 that the ride remains closed following the separate July 2026 incident involving the unconscious rider.
“The ride remains closed at this time. It has been closed since the evening of July 12th,” Six Flags said.
Christopher Hawley was a recent San Diego State University graduate when he died following a roller coaster ride. (Christopher Hawley/Facebook)
A jury trial involving Six Flags, the manufacturer of the X2 roller coaster and park employees is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, according to reports.
The lawsuit also alleges that the defendants failed to adequately warn the public about the ride’s risks, the local station said.
X2 has been advertised as one of the theme park’s most intense attractions and features seats that rotate 360 degrees.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner did not immediately respond to a request for comment from News Media.