VALENCIA, Calif. — What began as two separate trips to Six Flags Magic Mountain in July 2026 has now placed one of America’s most extreme roller coasters under intense scrutiny. X2 remains closed after two women suffered severe brain injuries requiring emergency surgery within days of riding the attraction, while a major CNN investigation has uncovered a much longer history of serious injuries, hospitalizations and two deaths associated with the ride.

The 4D roller coaster, located at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, has been closed since the evening of July 12, 2026. Originally opened in 2002 as X before being redesigned and renamed, X2 is known for independently rotating seats, steep drops and extreme forces. The ride can reach approximately 76 mph, with seats rotating 360 degrees independently of the track. Six Flags describes it as “A right of passage for the ultimate daredevil.”

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Two Severe X2 Brain Injuries in July Put the Ride Under Fresh Scrutiny

The first recent incident occurred on July 5, when Pamela Guillen, 40, of Hawaii, visited Magic Mountain with her family for her daughter’s 16th birthday.

According to ambulance and medical records reviewed in CNN’s August 27 investigation, Guillen repeatedly struck her head against the headrest while riding X2. After the ride, she needed help getting out, began vomiting and later lost consciousness.

Doctors at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital discovered a severe subdural hematoma and brain compression. Surgeons removed part of her skull to relieve pressure on her brain.

Guillen did not fully regain consciousness for approximately two weeks. She initially could speak only one word at a time and has since had to relearn how to walk and talk. She continues to experience headaches and brain fog and takes medication to prevent seizures.

Reflecting on the experience, Guillen said: “You go in as yourself, and then when you come back, you’re a medical emergency. Like I still can’t wrap my head around that.”

She also described herself as “very lucky to be alive” and said she is “taking it a day at a time to not overwhelm myself and to not go into a dark hole of mourning who I was and what I was able to do before this.”

Despite her hospitalization, X2 continued operating.

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A Second Rider Needed Emergency Brain Surgery Just Days Later

Approximately six days later, on or around July 11, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, 25, of Los Angeles, rode X2 with her twin brother and younger sister.

She lost consciousness shortly after the ride and was rushed to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, where she underwent emergency brain surgery for a severe traumatic brain injury.

As of late-August reporting, Greer-Wilkinson remained in critical condition, in a coma and dependent on a ventilator and feeding tube. Doctors had warned her family to prepare for the worst.

Her mother, Artemis Greer, said: “Naomi should have never ever in a million years even had the option to get on that ride.”

Her father, Joshua Wilkinson, said whoever allowed the attraction to continue operating “has a lot to answer for” and added: “It’s got to stop.”

The family also reported that a Six Flags representative offered them McDonald’s food after Naomi arrived at the hospital, but that they had heard little else from the park.

Time	Rider/Event	Reported Outcome
July 5, 2026	Pamela Guillen	Severe subdural hematoma and emergency brain surgery
Around July 11, 2026	Naomi Greer-Wilkinson	Severe traumatic brain injury and emergency surgery
Evening of July 12, 2026	X2 closes	Ride remains closed as of late August

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Neurosurgeons Say the Injuries Were Consistent With X2’s Forces

Three neurosurgeons who treated the women said the injuries were consistent with the forces experienced on X2.

“In our professional opinion, the severe brain injuries requiring emergent neurosurgical attention were the result of a traumatic rapid acceleration-deceleration event experienced while on the X2 ride.”

The doctors said the injuries resembled those typically associated with high-speed collisions.

X2 differs dramatically from a conventional roller coaster. Its seats extend outward from the track and rotate independently while the train moves through drops, twists and turns. The attraction features a steep first drop, high speeds and what Six Flags calls “raven turns.”

That combination has now become central to questions surrounding the ride.

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X2’s Troubled History Includes Brain Injuries, Hospitalizations and Two Deaths

CNN’s review of medical records, court filings, depositions and other documents identified more than a dozen serious injury or hospitalization cases associated with X2 over nearly two decades. These included traumatic brain injuries, subdural hematomas, comas and life-altering disabilities, as well as two deaths.

Internal park records cited in litigation documented at least 70 complaints involving head and neck injuries during the three years preceding one of the deaths.

Among the reported cases were Hilda Farias, 28, who died after riding X2 in 2010 after medical experts suspected a pre-existing brain abnormality ruptured because of the ride’s intensity; Selena O’Neill, who developed a subdural hematoma and suffered a seizure after riding at age 17 in 2014; Sheila Katerelos, who suffered a traumatic brain injury and multiple subdural hematomas in 2020; and Lucy Alvarez, who was diagnosed with a traumatic subdural hematoma in 2021 and later reported memory loss, balance difficulties and chronic migraines. Her case was scheduled for trial in 2027.

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Christopher Hawley’s 2022 Death Became One of X2’s Most Serious Cases

On June 23, 2022, Christopher Hawley, 22, a recent San Diego State University graduate described in court records as being in excellent health, rode X2 with his younger brother and cousin.

Court records described riders being flipped like “rag dolls” and repeatedly hitting their heads. Hawley became lightheaded, collapsed and lost consciousness. Doctors found severe bleeding in his brain, which later swelled dramatically. He died less than 10 hours after riding X2.

A neurosurgeon compared the injuries to those seen in “shaken baby syndrome.” The medical examiner ruled his death was caused by blunt head trauma from “a park ride accident.”

His cousin later testified: “I will never forget the fear from the look he gave me as his eyes closed.”

Shortly before a scheduled September 2026 trial, Hawley’s family reached confidential settlements with Six Flags Magic Mountain and ride-train supplier S&S Worldwide.

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Six Flags Has Previously Defended X2’s Safety

Six Flags has defended X2 in previous litigation by citing warnings about the attraction’s inherent risks, regular testing and inspections. Park attorneys have argued that the ride’s forces are not sufficient to cause traumatic brain injury to a “normal” rider who follows instructions.

The company has also maintained that X2 is regularly inspected and tested.

However, critics, including some engineers and treating physicians, have questioned whether the unusual design could create potentially harmful acceleration-deceleration effects for some riders.

Mechanical engineering professor Lyndia Wu has said that while traumatic brain injury risks on roller coasters are generally considered very low, higher-risk ride designs may deserve further scrutiny. She stated that “head injury should [not] be an expected risk from going on a roller coaster ride.”

Attorney Christopher Bulone, who represents the families of Guillen and Greer-Wilkinson, told CNN: “No ride should ever be dangerous enough for anyone that they’re coming off of it with severe intracranial bleeding.”

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Cal/OSHA Investigation Continues as X2 Remains Closed

X2 did not close after Guillen’s July 5 injury. It remained operational until after Greer-Wilkinson suffered her catastrophic injury, before finally closing on the evening of July 12.

Six Flags has confirmed that the attraction “remains closed at this time,” with no public reopening timetable announced as of late August.

California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, is investigating through its Amusement Ride and Tramway Unit. The inspection remained ongoing, with no public completion timeline.

Regulators had previously ordered temporary shutdowns involving X2, including after Hawley’s death, before allowing the attraction to reopen following inspections. Those earlier decisions have become part of the wider debate over how extreme amusement rides are evaluated after serious injuries.

There is no federal agency with direct authority to permanently close an amusement ride like X2, leaving California regulators as the primary government authority.

For now, the ride remains closed, the investigation continues and the question hanging over one of Six Flags Magic Mountain’s most famous attractions remains unresolved.

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Disclaimer

This article is based on thorough research from publicly available reporting, including CNN’s August 27, 2026 investigation, official Six Flags Magic Mountain information, medical information described by news organizations, court filings and statements from affected families. Allegations and claims made in lawsuits or by riders, families, attorneys or other individuals are presented as attributed statements and should not be interpreted as final judicial findings. The circumstances surrounding the July 2026 injuries and the safety of X2 remain subject to ongoing investigation and legal proceedings.

Sources

• KTLA — Reporting on the Christopher Hawley settlement and related X2 litigation
• FOX 11 Los Angeles — Magic Mountain X2 coaster lawsuit set for 2027 trial following serious injury claims
• Hindustan Times — When could Six Flags X2 reopen? What we know as two riders undergo brain surgeries
• Six Flags Official Website

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