US, Tempe: Valencia Six Flags X2 Roller Coaster Remains Closed One Month After Rider Incident AERIALS.

Tempe, United States - August 13, 2026 08/13/2026 10:50 am GMT-0700 VALENCIA, SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2 roller coaster has remained closed for more than a month following an incident in which a rider was reportedly found unconscious after riding the attraction and as a separate wrongful death lawsuit tied to the ride gets underway. The most recent incident occurred on July 5 at the Valencia amusement park. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating the incident. The rider was reportedly found unconscious after riding X2 and was transported to a hospital. Details regarding the rider’s condition and the circumstances surrounding the medical emergency have not been released. X2 has remained closed since the incident while the investigation continues. It remains unclear when the attraction will reopen. The closure comes as Six Flags Magic Mountain faces an ongoing wrongful death lawsuit involving a separate incident on X2 four years ago. Anne Hawley filed a lawsuit against Six Flags in 2023 alleging her 22-year-old son, Christopher Hawley, suffered fatal head injuries after riding X2 in June 2022. According to court filings previously reported by The Santa Clarita Valley Signal, Hawley was riding X2 with two family members when the coaster allegedly “jerked its riders around like rag dolls” before abruptly jolting to a stop at the end of the ride. Hawley reportedly struggled to walk after exiting the attraction, grabbed a railing and collapsed near his brother and cousin. He lost consciousness and never regained it, according to the lawsuit. Attorneys representing Hawley’s family have sought a variety of records from Six Flags as part of the litigation, including X2 incident reports from the six months preceding Hawley’s death, ridership records, information regarding other injuries, and records involving water dummies placed on the coaster during an inspection shortly after the 2022 incident. Six Flags attorneys have challenged several of those requests as overly broad, vague, or involving protected information, including medical records and company trade secrets. The Hawley family has also alleged a failure involving the coaster’s wheels contributed to the 2022 incident. The lawsuit further raises allegations about X2’s operational history dating back to when the attraction originally opened as X in 2002. The allegations have not been proven in court. A judge scheduled a hearing for Thursday, Aug. 13, regarding the Hawley family's request for sanctions against Six Flags over alleged delays in producing evidence. A final status conference in the case is scheduled for Aug. 28, with a jury trial currently scheduled to begin Sept. 8. The lawsuit is separate from the July 5 incident that prompted X2’s current closure, and there has been no indication from officials that the two incidents are related. X2 is one of Six Flags Magic Mountain’s signature roller coasters. The approximately $55 million attraction travels at speeds of up to 76 mph along a track nearly three-quarters of a mile long with approximately 200 feet of elevation change. Unlike a traditional roller coaster, X2 features seats capable of rotating independently as the train travels along the track. X2 originally opened as X in 2002 and was later redesigned and reopened as X2 in 2008. No reopening date for X2 has been announced. Drone footage featured here has been reviewed and verified by Key News Network LLC. This aerial UAV footage complies with and conforms to the FAA Part 107 guidelines. All operations were conducted by FAA-certified Part 107 UAS pilot(s). Related information can be provided upon request.