Six Flags Magic Mountain reaches settlement in fatal X2 roller coaster lawsuit
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Family of man who died after riding X2 at Six Flags seeks accountability
Six Flags Magic Mountain is headed to trial in just a few weeks, accused of causing the death of 22-year-old Christopher Hawley. The medical examiner ruled his death an accident and his cause of death blunt head trauma sustained in what the report called a "park ride accident."
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - A settlement agreement has been reached with theme park operator Six Flags Magic Mountain and ride-train supplier S&S Worldwide Inc., resolving a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the 2022 fatal injury of 22-year-old Christopher Hawley.
The resolution comes just days before a high-profile trial was set to commence in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
What we know:
Christopher Hawley, a recent San Diego State University graduate in good health, visited Six Flags Magic Mountain on June 23, 2022, accompanied by his younger brother, Alex, and their cousin.
Shortly after getting off the X2 roller coaster, Hawley walked unsteadily, clutched a railing for support, complained of severe head pain, and suddenly collapsed, according to his family.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Family sues Six Flags over 22-year-old's fatal head trauma on X2 coaster
He never regained consciousness and passed away the following day, June 24, 2022.
A CT scan revealed a catastrophic subdural hematoma, and the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner ruled his death an accident resulting from blunt force head trauma sustained on the ride, with treating surgeons comparing the severe internal brain rupture to shaken baby syndrome.
Attorneys for Hawley’s parents subsequently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against park operator Magic Mountain LLC and replacement coaster train supplier S&S Worldwide Inc.
On Wednesday, attorneys submitted court filings to Judge Andrew E. Cooper confirming that a settlement with Magic Mountain had been reached and was being formalized alongside a recent accord with S&S Worldwide.
What we don't know:
The financial terms, conditions, and specific details surrounding the settlements have not been publicly disclosed by the court or the participating legal teams.
It's unknown whether Six Flags or the ride’s manufacturer had received formal warnings regarding potential design or mechanical issues specific to the X2 roller coaster prior to Hawley's fatal ride.
Park representatives have not released public findings regarding internal maintenance evaluations or mechanical inspections conducted on the attraction immediately following the June 2022 incident.
What they're saying:
Anne Hawley recalled the alarming moment she learned about her son’s condition, stating, "I remember him [Alex] saying, 'Mom, Christopher collapsed, and he's not waking up.'"
Reflecting on the impact of the loss, she added, "We went from a family of four to a family of three in an instant," and expressed, "It's devastating. It is a piece of us that is gone forever."
Describing the intense motion of the attraction, Alex Hawley shared, "It was very rough. It just jerked us. It just jerked us all around," and further explained that near the end, "It just like jolted us all the way forward and then our heads just swung all the way back into the end to the head." William Hawley recounted the medical team's findings, stating, "The surgeon had said, he likened it to shaken baby syndrome, that the ride hit his head so hard that it had basically ruptured his brain."
Addressing safety obligations, attorney Timothy A. Loranger stated, "If you're going to operate that and you're going to invite the public to ride as passengers, you have to take every step that you possibly can to ensure that they're going to be safe, that they are not going to suffer an injury that could potentially kill them," while also emphasizing, "Christopher's family is determined to seek justice and accountability from those responsible for his death and to prevent such tragedies from happening to others."
Regarding ride maintenance, attorneys for S&S Worldwide Inc. maintained in court documents that the coaster trains operated "exactly as intended and exactly as designed and constructed."
According to a Six Flags spokesperson, the ride remains closed and has been closed since the evening of July 12.
What's next:
With formal settlement filings submitted to the judge, the scheduled September 8 trial in Chatsworth will no longer take place.
The legal team representing the Hawley family will work with counsel for Magic Mountain LLC and S&S Worldwide Inc. to execute the final written agreements.
Meanwhile, the X2 roller coaster remains closed to park visitors as state regulators with Cal/OSHA continue their independent safety investigation into the unrelated incident that occurred at the attraction earlier in the summer.
The Source: This report is based on official civil court filings submitted to Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Andrew E. Cooper, including settlement notices, pretrial motions, and official statements from attorneys representing both the Hawley family and defense counsel for S&S Worldwide Inc. Additional context regarding the cause and nature of Christopher Hawley's injuries was established using official records from the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner alongside statements provided directly by the Hawley family and their legal representatives. City news Service contributed.