Lawyers call ride ‘defective’ in three new civil suits
Six Flags made its X2 rollercoaster closure permanent on Tuesday, weeks after the ride had been pulled from operation at the company’s Magic Mountain park in Valencia, California. The announcement came as attorneys representing more than 100 people who allege they were injured on the ride filed three new civil lawsuits against the park.
Brian Oerding, Magic Mountain’s park president, announced the permanent shutdown in a Tuesday blog post. “While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” Oerding wrote. He added that “ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.”
A CNN investigation published in August found that two riders had suffered brain hemorrhages in July on X2. One of those riders, Los Angeles resident Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, remains hospitalized in a semi-conscious state, according to her lawyers Gary Dordick and Christopher Bulone. CNN also reported at least two deaths allegedly linked to X2.
Since CNN’s report, the scope of injury allegations has expanded. More than 100 people have said they were injured by the ride, according to Dordick and Bulone, who filed the three new civil lawsuits. In court documents, the attorneys have called X2 “defective” and accused the amusement park of failing to adequately warn riders of the risk for head and brain injuries.
X2, a Magic Mountain park favorite which opened in 2008, reaches speeds of up to 76 miles per hour (about 122 kilometers per hour) and features seats that can rotate 360 degrees. The ride carried more than 16 million guests during its run, according to the park, and “earned a passionate following among ride enthusiasts,” Oerding wrote.
Oerding also wrote that “we recognize the special place X2 holds in the coaster community” and thanked “our team members who operated and maintained it throughout its run.”