A young college graduate died after sustaining severe brain injuries on a roller coaster at California theme park Six Flags Magic Mountain, his family has claimed in a lawsuit.
Christopher Hawley died a day after riding the “unreasonably dangerous” X2 roller coaster in June 2022. The 22-year-old had been in excellent health prior to his death.
The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, and obtained by the Orange County Register, alleges negligence, design defects and a failure to warn riders about the potential dangers of the ride.
Christopher had ridden X2 with his younger brother, Alex, and his cousin, Kyle, on June 23, 2022, according to the lawsuit. The ride features seats that rotate 360 degrees forward and backward with a top speed of 76 mph.
“As X2 approached its conclusion, the ride suddenly, abruptly and violently jolted to a halt, jarring decedent Christopher Hawley and the other two boys in their seats,” the suit states, per the Register.
After exiting the ride, Christopher reportedly needed support from the handrail and complained that his head hurt, before kneeling down, slumping to his side and losing consciousness.
He was taken by paramedics to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, California, where a CT scan showed he had suffered a catastrophic brain trauma, according to the lawsuit.
“This is not the first time someone has sustained a serious injury as a result of riding X2,” Ari Friedman, the family’s attorney, said in a statement. “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.”
Six Flags has prioritized profits over safety by failing to redesign the roller coaster – which cost $55 million, the suit alleges.
On Tuesday, Anne and William Hawley said the lawsuit was brought to ensure that such a tragic incident was not repeated. “We want to make sure that that ride isn’t going to kill somebody else,” William Hawley told reporters during a video conference call.
“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.”
The pair also remembered their son and the future that he had imagined. “He just graduated from San Diego State,” Anne Hawley said. “He was looking forward to beginning the next chapter. He wanted to be an actor. He got a theater arts degree.”
The Hawley family’s legal team anticipates requesting $10 million or more, and a trial date has been set for October 13.
The Independent has reached out to Six Flags for comment about the lawsuit.
