CNN reported August 27 that two women suffered severe brain hemorrhages after riding X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain in July. Both required emergency brain surgery, and one remains hospitalized.
CNN reported details from medical assessments and interviews about the injuries. The report does not establish a regulatory finding that X2 caused either case.
CNN Reports Two July Injuries After Rides on X2
CNN identified the women as Pamela Guillen and Naomi Greer-Wilkinson. Guillen told CNN that she underwent emergency brain surgery after riding X2. Greer-Wilkinson’s family said she also needed emergency surgery and remains hospitalized.
Doctors who spoke with CNN said the injuries were consistent with a rapid acceleration-and-deceleration event. CNN said it reviewed medical records and interviewed the families. The report does not say that investigators have reached a final cause determination.
CrowdLevels Recorded X2 Closed on August 27
CrowdLevels recorded X2 as CLOSED at 6:42 p.m. PDT on August 27.
Six Flags has not announced a reopening date for X2.
California’s Investigation Remains Separate From the New Report
Atlanta News First reported that California regulators were investigating the earlier X2 incident and that the ride had been closed since July. CNN said Six Flags did not answer its detailed questions about the two July injuries.
CNN also described prior court filings in which Six Flags said daily inspections were performed and that a normally functioning rider using X2 as instructed would not suffer a traumatic brain injury. Those statements are litigation positions, not a final finding about the July cases.
Sources: CNN’s investigation and CNN’s broadcast transcript; Atlanta News First; and CrowdLevels current attraction data.
Image: Six Flags Magic Mountain’s official X2 attraction image.