Six Flags X2 Wrongful Death Lawsuit, Hawley Family Heads to Trial Over Fatal Head Trauma

This is not a class action. It’s a wrongful death lawsuit brought by one family, and it’s headed to a jury in a matter of weeks. Here’s what’s actually being alleged, and what happens next.

Hawley v. Six Flags Magic Mountain — Key Facts

Plaintiffs	Anne and William Hawley, parents of Christopher Hawley
Defendants	Six Flags Magic Mountain, the manufacturer of the X2 roller coaster, and several individual park employees
Claim	Wrongful death — negligence, product/design defect, failure to warn
Incident Date	June 23, 2022
Date of Death	June 24, 2022
Court	Los Angeles County Superior Court
Trial Location	Chatsworth, California
Trial Start Date	September 8, 2026
Trial Type	Jury trial
Cause of Death (Medical Examiner)	Blunt head trauma, ruled an accident
Current Status of X2 Ride	Closed since July 12, 2026, following a separate, unrelated incident
Last Updated	August 24, 2026

What Happened to Christopher Hawley?

Christopher Hawley, a 22-year-old recent graduate of San Diego State University, visited Six Flags Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita, California, with his younger brother Alex and a cousin on June 23, 2022. According to the family’s attorneys, the group rode the park’s X2 roller coaster, a ride known for rotating seats and a top speed of 76 miles per hour.

The lawsuit describes the ride ending with a sudden, hard jolt. Christopher’s brother and cousin later told the family he stepped off the ride walking unsteadily, holding the handrail, and said his head hurt before he knelt down, lost consciousness, and collapsed. Paramedics took him to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, where a CT scan showed a serious brain injury. He died the following day, June 24, 2022. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner ruled the death an accident caused by blunt head trauma from what its report called a “park ride accident.”

What Does the Lawsuit Allege?

The Hawley family’s lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, names Six Flags Magic Mountain, the manufacturer of the X2 ride, and several park employees as defendants. It alleges the park operated the ride negligently, that the ride itself is defective, and that Six Flags failed to adequately warn riders of the risk it posed.

Family attorney Ari Friedman of Wisner Baum says the X2 has been the subject of prior injury claims — including whiplash, head, and leg injuries reported by earlier riders tied to the ride’s sudden, forceful movements. A second attorney representing the family, Timothy Loranger, has framed the case around a park’s basic duty to riders: if a business invites the public onto a ride, it has to take every reasonable step to make sure people aren’t seriously hurt.

Design-defect and failure-to-warn claims like this one aren’t unique to Six Flags — a similar product liability theory is at the center of a separate lawsuit alleging a defective part caused fires in certain Jeep models, where the underlying legal question is the same: did the manufacturer know about a danger and fail to fix or disclose it.

What Happens Next?

A jury trial is scheduled to begin September 8, 2026, in Chatsworth. The case will need to establish that the ride’s design or operation, rather than some unrelated cause, was responsible for Christopher’s death — something the family’s attorneys have said the timing and nature of his injuries support.

Separately, and unrelated to this lawsuit, the X2 ride has been closed since July 12, 2026, after a different rider was found unconscious during a ride. That incident is currently under investigation by Cal/OSHA, California’s workplace and public safety regulator. Six Flags has confirmed the ride remains closed but has declined to comment directly on the Hawley litigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a class action lawsuit?

No. This is a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Christopher Hawley’s parents against Six Flags Magic Mountain, the ride’s manufacturer, and named park employees. There’s no class to join and no claims process for other park guests.

When does the trial start?

 Jury selection and trial are scheduled to begin September 8, 2026, in Chatsworth, California.

Is the X2 ride currently open?

 No. It has been closed since July 12, 2026, following a separate incident involving another rider. That closure is unrelated to the Hawley trial and is currently under Cal/OSHA investigation.

What is Six Flags saying about the lawsuit? 

Six Flags has declined to comment directly on the litigation, stating only that the ride remains closed.

What is the family seeking?

 Public reporting on the case describes claims for negligence, product/design defect, and failure to warn. Specific damages amounts have not been publicly disclosed as of this writing.

Sources Used in This Article

• FOX 11 Los Angeles — “Family sues Six Flags over 22-year-old’s fatal head trauma on X2 coaster,” Aug. 22, 2026: https://www.foxla.com/news/family-sues-six-flags-x2-roller-coaster-death
• Wisner Baum (family’s law firm) — “What to Know About the Magic Mountain Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Six Flags”: https://www.wisnerbaum.com/blog/2025/april/what-to-know-about-the-magic-mountain-wrongful-d/

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against FOX 11 Los Angeles’ reporting, which is based on direct family interviews, medical examiner findings, and court scheduling records, and the family’s law firm’s published case summary, on August 24, 2026. Last Updated: August 24, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.