Six Flags roller coaster linked to brain injuries
A legendary roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California known for its extreme speeds and twists has been closed since July after two women fell into comas with similar brain hemorrhages a few days apart, shortly after going on the ride, according to a report from CNN.
Pamela Guillen regained consciousness after two weeks; Naomi Greer-Wilkinson has still not awakened. Six Flags, which has a market cap of ~$1.6 billion, declined to comment to CNN on Guillen and Greer-Wilkinson’s injuries. Those two cases are part of a possible pattern with the X2 coaster, per the report. According to medical and court records found by CNN:
- Christopher Hawley in 2022 and Hilda Farias in 2010 died of brain injuries after going on the ride.
- The coaster has been connected to more than a dozen serious injuries and hospitalizations in its more than 20 years of existence.
Attorneys for the amusement park have argued that a sign warns passengers about “inherent risks” on any amusement ride, and that X2 does not create enough physical force to cause a traumatic brain injury for a “normal” rider, per CNN.
No court hearing: A lawsuit filed by Hawley’s family was scheduled to go to trial next month, but a settlement was reached on Wednesday. Financial terms and details have not been disclosed.—DL
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