It’s been almost three years since Anne and William Hawley said goodbye to their son Christopher, who died after suffering a traumatic injury to his brain. Magic Mountain’s X2 roller coaster is responsible for that fatal injury, according to a lawsuit they filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The Hawleys, of Garden Grove, California and their attorney, Ari Friedman, have discussed the wrongful death lawsuit with (among other outlets):
The complaint alleges that Magic Mountain operated the ride with negligence, X2 is defective, and failed to warn customers of the potential danger.
Background on Six Flags Lawsuit
Christopher Hawley, 22, was a recent graduate of San Diego State University and in excellent health. He was with his younger brother and a cousin at the park on June 23, 2022. On X2, Christopher sat alone in a row, with his brother and cousin sitting in the row behind him.
“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 lawsuit states.
According to the lawsuit, Christopher “exited the ride and started walking haltingly down the off-ramp, holding onto the handrail for support. His cousin and brother noticed him walking slowly and holding onto the rail and came to his assistance. At some point, Decedent Christopher Hawley mumbled to his younger brother and cousin that his head hurt.”
“After his cousin and brother came to his assistance, Decedent Christopher Hawley knelt down, and slumped onto his side. His cousin supported him down to the ground, placing one hand on his back and one hand on his head. Decedent Christopher Hawley thereafter lost consciousness,” the lawsuit states.
Responding paramedics rushed Christopher to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, where a CT scan showed he suffered a catastrophic right subdural hematoma resulting from the roller coaster.
Christopher died the next day, June 24, 2022.
“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. “Magic Mountain has been sued in the past over X2, where people received whiplash, head and leg injuries from the ride’s sudden and rough movements.”
X2 is a 4th Dimension roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain, designed with rotating seats that move independently as the ride progresses. It features a 215-foot drop, reaches speeds of up to 76 miles per hour, and includes sudden flips and rotations.
Wisner Baum Trial Attorneys – Fighting for Justice
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. Amusement parks and the manufacturers of theme park rides have a duty to ensure that rides are safe, and when that duty is breached, families deserve answers.
The wrongful death lawyers at Wisner Baum have earned a reputation for breaking new legal ground, holding corporations accountable, influencing public policy, and raising public awareness on important safety issues. Building on its longstanding tradition of success in the courtroom, the Los Angeles-based law firm consistently strives to expose unsafe products or harmful practices, thereby protecting consumers from dangerous products. Across all areas of practice, the firm has won more than $4 billion in settlements and verdicts.
For more information about this case, please contact us today.
