A Chatsworth Superior Court judge has scheduled a 2027 trial for a Yucaipa couple's lawsuit stemming from alleged injuries on Six Flags Magic Mountain's X2 roller coaster. Sheila Katerelos, 56, and her husband, Ari, filed suit after Sheila allegedly suffered a traumatic brain injury and other medical complications while riding the X2 in February 2020. Judge Michael O’Gara set the trial for August 16, 2027.
The lawsuit, originally filed in November 2021, named Magic Mountain LLC, Six Flags Theme Park Inc., and S&S Worldwide Inc. as defendants. While Magic Mountain and Six Flags were dismissed in May 2024, S&S Worldwide, which manufactured and designed the roller coaster vehicles, was reinstated as a defendant on appeal in February. A three-justice panel of the Second District Court of Appeal found there are "triable issues" regarding whether the X2 caused or contributed to Sheila Katerelos’ injuries. The Katereloses' suit alleges negligence, strict product liability, and a design defect, also claiming the theme park failed to warn visitors of potential dangers. It states Sheila Katerelos will incur medical expenses and be unable to work, and Ari Katerelos has been deprived of his wife's comfort and affection.
Attorneys for Magic Mountain, in their court papers requesting dismissal, contended Sheila Katerelos was properly restrained in her seat and had no concerns about her restraints before the ride. Park lawyers stated a biomechanical expert's data showed X2 did not produce forces sufficient to cause the alleged injuries, and that there were no known component failures. They also pointed out that Katerelos had a medical history of hypertension, a condition warned against on the ride's signage, which they argued provided sufficient information for riders.
The X2 has been connected to several other serious incidents. Magic Mountain and S&S Worldwide previously settled with the parents of Christopher Hawley, a 22-year-old San Diego State University graduate who died in June 2022 after riding the attraction. According to family attorneys, Hawley collapsed after the ride, complaining his head hurt, and never regained consciousness.
More recently, two women suffered severe injuries on the X2 in July of this year. Pamela Guillen, 40, told CNN she hit her head multiple times on July 5, immediately began vomiting, and passed out. She underwent emergency surgery to relieve brain pressure, requiring part of her skull to be removed, her family said. Days later, on July 11, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, 25, of Los Angeles, also lost consciousness after riding, undergoing emergency brain surgery and remaining in a coma, according to a CNN report. The amusement park declined to comment for CNN’s story. The X2 ride was closed after Greer-Wilkinson’s injury and remains closed.
