SDSU grad suffers fatal brain injury on Six Flags Magic Mountain coaster, lawsuit claims
Mar 18, 2025
In a lawsuit filed last year, a Garden Grove family is suing Six Flags Magic Mountain, alleging their 22-year-old son suffered a traumatic and fatal brain injury sustained while riding one of the theme park’s most infamous and popular rollercoasters, X2.
Christopher Hawley, a recent graduate
of San Diego State University, was with his younger brother, Alex, and their cousin at Six Flags Magic Mountain on June 23, 2022, when the trio climbed aboard X2.
His brother and cousin sat together, directly behind Christopher, who was in a row all by himself.
The fourth dimension coaster, which is designed with rotating seats that move independently as the ride progresses, features a 215-foot drop, sudden flips and rotations all while reaching speeds of up to 76 miles per hour.
As Christopher, Alex and their cousin neared the end of the ride, the coaster “suddenly, abruptly and violently jolted to a halt,” jarring the 22-year-old and the other two boys in their seats, the lawsuit states.
His younger brother and cousin noticed Christpher holding onto the rail for stability, walking haltingly down the ramp, and when they came to his aid, he mumbled that his head hurt.
That’s when, according to the suit, the 22-year-old knelt down, slumped over to his side and lost consciousness.
Christopher, whose parents Anne and William Hawley say was in excellent health, was rushed to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia where a CT scan showed he suffered a catastrophic right subdural hematoma resulting from the rollercoaster, the lawsuit claims.
Christopher Hawley, 22, seen behind his cousin and his younger brother Alex on June 23, 2022, at Six Flags Magic Mountain. (Hawley family)Christopher Hawley seen with his father, William, and mother, Anne, at a baseball game. (Hawley family)Christopher Hawley, 22, pictured at Six Flags Magic Mountain on June 23, 2022. (Hawley family)Christopher Hawley, 22, a recent graduate of San Diego State University seen in this undated photo. (Hawley family)
The next day, June 24, 2022, Christopher died.
“We want to make sure that that ride isn’t going to kill somebody else,” William Hawley said during a video conference call reported on by The Orange County Register. “They won’t explain to us what happened. They’ve essentially gone dark. The only way we’ve been able to contact them is through our attorney.”
In their suit, the Hawleys accuse Magic Mountain of operating the ride with negligence, a design defect and a failure to warn customers of the potential danger.
“This is not the first time someone has sustained a serious injury as a result of riding X2,” said the family’s attorney, Ari Friedman, a partner and trial attorney at Los Angeles-based Wisner Baum. “X2 has been linked to previous incidents, where people received whiplash, head and leg injuries, and more, from the ride’s sudden shuddering and jolts.”
The family’s legal team, according to The Register, anticipates seeking $10 million in compensatory damages pending the results of the ride’s inspection and the strength of found during the investigation.
KTLA has reached out to officials at Six Flags Magic Mountain for comment and is awaiting a response.
A trial date has been set for Oct. 13. ...read more read less
