Family Sues Six Flags® Over Son's Fatal Brain Injury on X2 Roller Coaster

The ride was supposed to be thrilling - not deadly. But now, a California family is demanding answers after their 22-year-old son collapsed and died just hours after riding a high-speed coaster at one of the country’s most famous theme parks. A lawsuit claims he suffered a catastrophic brain injury on the ride - and it may not be the first time.

A Day of Fun Ends in Tragedy

On June 23, 2022, Christopher Hawley, a recent San Diego State University graduate, visited Six Flags^® Magic Mountain in Valencia, California with his younger brother and cousin. The three boarded X2, a $55 million “fourth-dimension” roller coaster known for its 360-degree rotating seats, 215-foot drop, and speeds reaching 76 mph.

Hawley sat alone in the front row, while his brother and cousin sat directly behind him. As the ride neared its final stretch, it “suddenly, abruptly and violently jolted to a halt,” according to the family’s lawsuit, KTLA reported. When the ride stopped, Hawley was noticeably unsteady - holding onto a rail for support and telling his brother that his head hurt.

Moments later, Hawley knelt down, slumped to one side, and lost consciousness. Paramedics rushed him to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, where a CT scan revealed he had suffered a catastrophic right subdural hematoma. He died the next day.

A Family Seeks Justice

His parents, Anne and William Hawley, say their son was in perfect health before the ride. “He just graduated from San Diego State,” Anne said in an interview with the OC Register. “He was looking forward to beginning the next chapter. He wanted to be an actor.”

“There’s just a void in our lives,” said Christopher’s brother, Alex. “It’s really just not the same. He was that light. He would walk in a room and just light up the whole place.”

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accuses Six Flags of negligence, a design defect, and failure to warn riders of known safety risks. According to family attorney Ari Friedman, X2 has previously been linked to serious injuries including “whiplash, head and leg injuries, and more, from the ride's sudden shuddering and jolts,” according to the OG Register.

‘They’ve Gone Dark’

Despite repeated attempts, the family claims Six Flags has refused to provide answers. “They won’t explain to us what happened. They’ve essentially gone dark,” William Hawley said during a video conference call, according to the OC Register. “The only way we’ve been able to contact them is through our attorney.”

A trial date has been set for Oct. 13, and the family is expected to seek $10 million or more in compensatory damages depending on the results of the ride inspection and what comes out in discovery.

This isn’t the first legal trouble involving X2. In 2021, another rider claimed the roller coaster caused neurological injuries, though Six Flags denied responsibility and was ultimately dismissed from the case. But the Hawleys say the park’s failure to address repeated incidents is what makes this tragedy even harder to accept.

“We want to make sure that that ride isn’t going to kill somebody else,” William Hawley said, per the Orange County Register.

The Hawley family says their fight isn’t just about accountability - it’s about making sure no other family has to endure the same heartbreak. As their case heads to trial this fall, questions remain not only about what happened that day on X2, but whether one thrill ride was worth the cost of a young man’s life.

References: Lawsuit claims California man suffered fatal brain injury on Six Flags roller coaster | Six Flags Magic Mountain's X2 coaster responsible for fatal brain injury, lawsuit alleges | Six Flags attorneys request dismissal of lawsuit over X2