Full Breakdown
X2 Roller Coaster Closed After Two Severe Brain Injuries
8/27/2026, 9:31:10 PM
Core Incident
In early July 2026, two riders on the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain required emergency brain surgery within six days of each other. Pamela Guillen, 40, suffered a subdural hematoma and brain compression after repeatedly striking the headrest; surgeons temporarily removed part of her skull. Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, 25, lost consciousness shortly after the ride and was rushed to a hospital where doctors diagnosed a severe traumatic brain injury and placed her in a medically induced coma. Both incidents prompted the park to shut the attraction on July 12, 2026.
Background & Context
X2 debuted in 2002 as “X” and was re-engineered as a 4-dimensional coaster in 2008, featuring seats that rotate 360 degrees while the train reaches speeds near 80 mph. The ride’s rapid acceleration, abrupt drops and rotating seats expose riders to multi-directional forces. Over nearly two decades, the coaster has been linked to more than a dozen serious injury reports, including permanent disabilities, comas and two prior fatalities—Hilda Farias in 2010 (a pre-existing brain abnormality reportedly ruptured) and Christopher Hawley in 2022 (blunt head trauma and brain swelling). Court filings and internal Six Flags records show at least five riders complained of head pain and about 70 head or neck injury complaints were logged in the three years preceding 2022.
Data & Statistics
- >12 serious injury reports spanning the coaster’s history.
- 70 documented head/neck injury complaints (Three-year window before 2022).
- 2 deaths linked to X2 (2010, 2022).
- 2 severe subdural hematomas and emergency surgeries in July 2026.
- Ride speed: ?80 mph; seats rotate 360 degrees.
Official Statements & Responses
California safety regulators, including Cal/OSHA, have launched an inspection of X2’s mechanical operation, safety systems and any factors that may have contributed to the recent medical emergencies.
Criticism & Opposition
Family members of the injured riders have criticized Six Flags’ post-incident response. Guillen’s daughter said the park offered only food on the night of the injury and did not follow up thereafter.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I personally don’t think head injury should be an expected risk from going on a roller coaster ride, and there is no reason a ride can’t be properly designed to prevent injuries like this,” — Lyndia Wu, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of British Columbia
- “You go in as yourself, and then when you come back, you’re a medical emergency. Like I still can’t wrap my head around that,” — Pamela Guillen, hawaii resident
What’s Next
State investigators are expected to evaluate whether X2’s rotating seats and rapid directional changes create “clear safety signals” that warrant a comprehensive redesign or permanent shutdown. The outcome of the Cal/OSHA inspection will determine if the coaster can be reopened, modified, or retired permanently.
