Six Flags Magic Mountain and a family suing the theme park over claims that a June 2022 ride on the X2 roller coaster led to a man’s brain injury and death have reached a settlement, a representative for the family confirmed Wednesday.
“The attorneys at Wisner Baum LLP handling the case for the Hawley family confirmed that the matter has been resolved,” according to an email Wednesday from Promit Ghosh of JOTO PR Disruptors, which is working with Wisner Baum. “The family is pleased with the outcome. At this time, they respectfully request privacy as they bring this case to a conclusion and move forward together.”
The notice of settlement was filed Aug. 26, according to L.A. County Superior Court records, which previously had a pretrial settlement conference on the record for that date.
Ghosh indicated in a followup e-mail that neither Wisner Baum nor the Hawley family were able to share details as of now, but mentioned that “everything else remains accurate as per the lawsuit and correct from our side regarding the ride and its dangerous condition.”
A joint statement of the case was filed two days earlier.
“Plaintiffs contend that Christopher Hawley’s brain bleed was caused by the X2 ride. Plaintiffs allege that Magic Mountain is liable for negligence and products liability. Magic Mountain alleges that Christopher Hawley had pre-existing brain conditions, and that his alleged injuries were not caused by negligence or by defects with the X2 ride,” according to the joint statement, which also stated Six Flags denies “allegations of negligence and products liability, medical causation and the nature and extent of claimed injuries.”
The X2 ride remains closed as of this week, according to a park official speaking on background, who indicated that that was all the information that the park is sharing at this time.
The person confirmed that the ride has been closed since the evening of July 12.
A Six Flags spokesperson previously declined to comment on the case and was not immediately available Wednesday to respond to a request for comment on the settlement.
“The parties are presently reducing the final terms of their respective settlement agreements to writing,” according to the notice of settlement filed last week.
The ride and the lawsuit have been part of a years-long battle between the Hawleys and Six Flags, which was under prior ownership at the time of the initial incident.
The family filed suit against Six Flags Magic Mountain, claiming that 22-year-old Christopher Hawley, of Garden Grove, died following a ride on the X2 roller coaster. After years of legal back-and-forth over requests for evidence from the theme park, in June, attorneys for the Hawley family were granted a hearing on sanctions over the delays.
No sanctions were granted, but both sides had reportedly been preparing for trial when the deal was reached last month, based on a previous statement from the Hawleys’ PR firm. A trial date had been set for Sept. 8.
The $55 million ride is designed to send thrill-seekers around a track nearly three-quarters of a mile long at 76 mph, with 200 feet of elevation change, according to the Six Flags website.
The original Hawley complaint alleged that X2 has a two-decade history of concerns, dating back to its initial run as X in 2002. The claims also stated that due to the theme park’s demands on the ride, the original manufacturer was unable to complete the project, and the theme park ultimately took it over.
The complaint said that after Christopher Hawley and two of his family members went on X2 in June 2022, it “jerked its riders around like rag dolls.”
After an ending described as sudden and violent, the ride left the family jarred in their seats, according to the lawsuit. Christopher Hawley exited the ride, clutched the rail, and then collapsed after his cousin and brother came to his side, according to the lawsuit, which also states that he passed out and never regained consciousness.
