Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2 roller coaster is facing renewed scrutiny as a growing number of riders come forward with allegations of serious brain injuries. Three new lawsuits have now been filed against the California theme park and other parties, while attorneys representing riders say hundreds of people have contacted them about possible injuries connected to the attraction.

The legal battle has intensified after two women were hospitalized within six days of one another in July 2026 after riding X2, with both requiring emergency brain surgery, according to the lawsuits and reporting. As the claims continue to develop, X2 has remained closed since July 12, leaving questions surrounding the attraction’s design, safety procedures and long history of reported incidents at the centre of the controversy.

Why are more Six Flags X2 lawsuits being filed?

Three lawsuits were filed against Six Flags Magic Mountain this week, marking a significant new development in the dispute surrounding X2.

Gary Dordick, whose law firm represents the riders, said more than 300 people have contacted the firm about injuries they believe occurred after riding the coaster. However, not everyone who contacted the attorneys can necessarily pursue a claim because California’s statute of limitations limits how long people have to file certain lawsuits.

According to the attorneys, more than 100 of those people are within the relevant two-year period and have retained the firm.

The lawsuits allege, among other claims, that X2 was defectively designed and that Six Flags and other parties failed to provide adequate warnings about potential risks. Those allegations remain claims made in litigation and have not been established as facts by a court.

The cases also involve S&S Worldwide, the manufacturer associated with the attraction, according to NBC Los Angeles.

Six Flags has declined to address the substance of the pending lawsuits. A park spokesperson told ABC7:

“The ride remains closed at this time. It has been closed since the evening of July 12. It is our policy not to comment on pending litigation.”

The growing number of reported cases has placed additional attention on what happened to several individual riders.

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Pamela Guillen’s July 5 X2 ride ended in emergency brain surgery

One of the newest cases involves Pamela Guillen, who visited Six Flags Magic Mountain on July 5, 2026, to celebrate her daughter’s 16th birthday.

According to her lawsuit and interviews with news organisations, X2 was reportedly the family’s final ride of the day. Guillen later became seriously ill and required emergency medical treatment and surgery.

She described a sudden and dramatic change in her condition:

“Everything went blank. My next memory is waking up in the hospital about two weeks later. My family had to tell me what had happened.”

Guillen said the effects have continued long after the ride.

“Before July 5th, I worked, I drove, I handled my businesses, and took care of my family. I was independent. Today, I still cannot drive. I haven’t been able to return to work. I’m dealing with cognitive effects of my brain injury.”

Her case is one of the incidents that has helped bring renewed attention to X2 and the allegations now being made by other riders.

Naomi Greer-Wilkinson was hospitalized six days later

Only six days after Guillen’s incident, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson rode X2.

According to her family and the lawsuits, Greer-Wilkinson subsequently suffered a severe brain injury and was hospitalized. Her parents, Artemis Greer and Joshua Wilkinson, have said their daughter continues to experience serious effects.

Christopher Bulone, an attorney representing riders’ families, described the situation facing Greer-Wilkinson:

“Naomi, 25 years old, still hasn’t come home. Her parents, Artemis and Josh, are with her every single day and wonder when she’s going to be able to breathe on her own again.”

The cases involving Guillen and Greer-Wilkinson are among the most recent incidents driving the renewed legal and public scrutiny surrounding X2.

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Michael Wilk says his X2 injury ended his legal career

Another plaintiff, Michael Wilk, says his experience with X2 began months earlier.

Wilk said he rode the attraction on February 7 while visiting Six Flags with his grandchildren. According to NBC Los Angeles, he later experienced declining cognitive function and sought medical treatment.

An MRI reportedly revealed an injury that required emergency surgery, according to the lawsuit. Wilk says he has continued to experience problems and is no longer able to practice law.

For Wilk, coming forward has not simply been about compensation. He has said his goal is to prevent similar incidents from happening to other riders.

“I truly hope that by coming forward, changes will be made,” Wilk told CNN. “That’s my goal. That’s why I’m here today.”

CNN reported that Wilk’s attorneys announced plans for more than 100 additional lawsuits involving people who say they suffered traumatic brain injuries after riding X2.

What makes Six Flags X2 different from a normal roller coaster?

Part of the controversy centres on the unusual design of X2.

The attraction is not a conventional roller coaster in which riders simply move along the track while facing forward. According to Six Flags’ official description, X2 features 360-degree rotating seats, allowing riders to rotate independently while the coaster travels along the track.

The attraction also includes steep drops, flips, twists and two unusual “raven turns.”

NBC Los Angeles reported that X2 opened in January 2002 and was promoted as the world’s first fourth-dimension roller coaster.

The ride has a roughly 215-foot drop and can reach speeds of up to 76 mph, according to the report.

Six Flags’ own description highlights the attraction’s unusual movement, explaining that the seats rotate as riders travel through dives, flips and twists.

That design has become an important part of the current litigation. Attorneys representing plaintiffs argue that the combination of forces created by the ride presents risks that riders may not reasonably anticipate.

Bulone said:

“The design of this ride makes it inherently dangerous, and makes it dangerous in a way that no reasonable rider would expect.”

That statement represents the plaintiffs’ legal position. It is not a court finding that X2 has been legally determined to be inherently dangerous.

What has Six Flags said about X2 safety?

Although Six Flags has declined to comment on the substance of the current lawsuits, previous court filings have provided the company’s position concerning the attraction’s operation.

According to CNN’s investigation, Six Flags has previously stated in court filings that X2 underwent daily inspections and that a rider using the attraction according to its instructions would not suffer a traumatic brain injury.

NBC Los Angeles also reported that Six Flags has argued in previous court filings that X2 passed applicable ASTM standards.

Those standards cover safety criteria for amusement rides, including acceleration, loads and forces.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs dispute whether those tests adequately account for the particular rotational and angular forces generated by X2.

Bulone argued:

“The problem is, is that Six Flags says they pass these tests, and yet, time after time, innocent people are coming off the ride with permanent brain damage, and they’ve never thought to try to ascertain whether these tests were sufficient.”

That is an argument made by the plaintiffs’ legal team and remains disputed in the ongoing litigation.

X2 closure timeline

Date	Event
January 2002	X2 opened and was promoted as the world’s first fourth-dimension roller coaster.
February 7, 2026	Michael Wilk says he rode X2 while visiting Six Flags with his grandchildren.
July 5, 2026	Pamela Guillen rode X2 while celebrating her daughter’s 16th birthday.
July 11, 2026	Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, 25, rode X2, according to the reported timeline.
July 12, 2026	Six Flags confirmed that X2 had been closed since the evening of this date.
September 2026	Three new lawsuits were filed as attorneys said more than 100 additional potential plaintiffs had come forward.
2027	A separate lawsuit involving Sheila Katerelos is scheduled to go to trial.

Why has X2 remained closed since July?

X2 remains out of operation.

Six Flags’ official Magic Mountain website lists the attraction among the park’s scheduled ride closures. ABC7 reported that the coaster has been closed since the evening of July 12, following the July incidents involving Greer-Wilkinson and Guillen.

A Six Flags spokesperson confirmed the closure but did not explain why X2 remains closed, citing the company’s policy regarding pending lawsuits.

As of September 24, 2026, Six Flags’ official website continues to list X2 as closed.

Six Flags has not announced when the attraction will reopen.

The legal controversy goes back to a 2022 death

The current lawsuits are not the first legal controversy involving X2.

Christopher Hawley, 22, died in 2022 after riding the attraction. His family later filed a wrongful-death lawsuit alleging that his death was connected to the ride.

NBC Los Angeles reported that the Los Angeles County Coroner determined Hawley’s death resulted from “accidental blunt head trauma.”

His family later reached a confidential settlement with Six Flags.

CNN’s earlier investigation examined Hawley’s death alongside other reports of serious injuries and hospitalisations associated with X2 over a period of nearly two decades.

The earlier case does not establish the validity of the current plaintiffs’ allegations, but it forms part of the history now being examined by attorneys and journalists.

A separate X2 lawsuit is already headed for a 2027 trial

The latest lawsuits are also unfolding alongside an older case involving another rider.

A judge has scheduled a 2027 trial in a lawsuit brought by a Yucaipa couple after the wife, Sheila Katerelos, allegedly suffered a traumatic brain injury and other medical complications while riding X2 in 2020.

The case originally named Magic Mountain LLC, Six Flags Theme Park Inc., S&S Worldwide and other parties.

ABC7 reported that Magic Mountain and Six Flags were dismissed as defendants in 2024, while S&S Worldwide was reinstated as a defendant by an appellate court in February 2026.

That lawsuit is separate from the three cases announced in September 2026.

More Six Flags X2 lawsuits could follow

The legal action surrounding X2 may not end with the three newly filed lawsuits.

Dordick said his firm has received reports from more than 300 people who claim they were injured after riding the attraction. Some cannot bring claims because of California’s time limits, while attorneys say more than 100 potential plaintiffs remain within the relevant filing period.

The attorneys have said they expect to file additional lawsuits in the coming weeks.

That does not mean every reported injury will result in a successful legal claim. Each case would need to establish its own facts, evidence and legal basis, while the allegations against Six Flags and other parties will be considered through the court process.

For now, the combination of three newly filed lawsuits, more than 100 additional claimed victims, previous litigation and X2’s continued closure has put one of Six Flags Magic Mountain’s signature attractions under renewed scrutiny.

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Conclusion

X2’s future remains uncertain as the legal scrutiny surrounding the attraction continues to grow. Three new lawsuits are now moving forward, attorneys say more than 100 additional potential plaintiffs have come forward within the relevant filing period, and hundreds of people have contacted the law firm about alleged injuries.

At the centre of the latest cases are Pamela Guillen, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson and Michael Wilk, while earlier legal disputes involving Christopher Hawley and Sheila Katerelos add to the attraction’s history of litigation.

Six Flags has continued to decline comment on pending lawsuits and has not announced when X2 will reopen. As of September 24, 2026, the attraction remains listed as closed.

The allegations described in the lawsuits remain allegations unless and until they are established through the legal process.

Disclaimer: This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the sources provided with the verified material, including Six Flags Magic Mountain, ABC7 Los Angeles, NBC Los Angeles and CNN reporting and transcripts. It reflects the information, statements, allegations and legal developments contained in those sources and does not imply independent verification beyond what the provided material supports. Allegations made in lawsuits and statements from attorneys or individuals are presented as such and have not been treated as established facts where the supplied information does not establish them as facts.

Sources

• Six Flags Magic Mountain: X2 official attraction page
• Six Flags Magic Mountain: Scheduled ride closures
• ABC7 Los Angeles: New lawsuits allege X2 caused major brain injuries
• NBC Los Angeles: Lawsuits allege Six Flags X2 left riders with catastrophic brain injuries
• CNN transcript: September 22 report on the new X2 lawsuits
• CNN transcript: September 23 report on the growing allegations
• ABC7 Los Angeles: X2 closure and earlier 2020 lawsuit

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