Six Flags Magic Mountain to Permanently Close X2 Roller Coaster
Six Flags Magic Mountain is permanently closing its X2 roller coaster amid lawsuits alleging that riders suffered serious brain injuries. The Southern California park said the ride had passed multiple safety tests but that it decided to retire X2 after concerns affected guest confidence.
Park President Brian Oerding said safety remains central to the company’s operations. X2 had already been closed since the evening of July 12, following separate incidents involving two women who were taken to hospitals after riding it less than a week apart.
One of the women, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, collapsed shortly after leaving the ride. She underwent emergency surgery for bleeding inside her skull and remains hospitalized, unable to speak or move and dependent on a ventilator. Her family has filed a lawsuit against Six Flags on her behalf.
Three lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed last week. Attorneys representing Greer-Wilkinson said more than 100 people have reported brain injuries after riding X2 over the past two years and that additional lawsuits are planned. Those claims have not been resolved in court.
Six Flags also recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the family of Christopher Hawley, 22. Hawley was hospitalized with severe brain bleeding after riding X2 in 2022 and died the following day. The medical examiner attributed his death to blunt head trauma. The settlement came shortly before the case was scheduled for trial; its terms were not provided in the announcement.
X2 opened in 2002 as X, described as the world’s first “fourth-dimension” roller coaster. It reopened in 2008 with new trains and special effects. According to the park, the ride reached 76 mph and featured seats that rotated 360 degrees, along with turns that transitioned from half loops into steep drops.
The closure ends the run of a ride known for its unusual design and its following among roller-coaster enthusiasts.