This tracker will grow as new verified incidents are reported. We do not add an entry until it is confirmed by at least one named, dated news source or a public court/regulatory record.
August 29, 2026
Trial date set in second Six Flags X2 brain-injury lawsuit
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge scheduled an August 16, 2027 trial in Katerelos v. S&S Worldwide, a lawsuit brought by Sheila Katerelos and her husband Ari over a traumatic brain injury and subdural hematoma Sheila says she suffered riding X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain in February 2020. Six Flags Magic Mountain and the park operator were previously dismissed from the case; S&S Worldwide, the manufacturer of the X2 ride vehicles, was reinstated as a defendant after a February 2026 California Court of Appeal ruling found triable issues on causation and design defect. This is a separate lawsuit from the 2022 Christopher Hawley wrongful-death case, which settled in August 2026 (see full timeline below).
→ Full X2 investigation timeline
Sources
- KFI AM 640, "Trial Set in Magic Mountain X2 Coaster Injury Lawsuit" (Aug 29, 2026) — kfiam640.iheart.com
- FOX 11 Los Angeles, "Magic Mountain X2 coaster lawsuit set for 2027 trial following serious injury claims" (Aug 29, 2026) — foxla.com
- Signal SCV, "State Supreme Court denies appeal in roller coaster lawsuit" (Jul 2026) — signalscv.com
Copper Mountain Resort, Colorado
August 28, 2026
Rider ejected and dragged on Copper Mountain's Rocky Mountain Coaster, suffers traumatic brain injury
Nicola "Nicki" Parker, 60, was ejected from her seat on the Rocky Mountain Coaster at Copper Mountain on August 17, 2026, and dragged along the track despite her seatbelt remaining fastened, according to her attorneys. She suffered a traumatic brain injury, a punctured lung, and a dislocated shoulder requiring surgery. The alpine coaster was closed and Colorado's Division of Oil and Public Safety opened an investigation, expected to take one to two months. As of the most recent reporting, no lawsuit had been filed while counsel awaits the investigation's findings.
Sources
- The Denver Post, "Colorado park closes rollercoaster after rider suffers 'life-altering' injuries" (Aug 28, 2026) — denverpost.com
- Westword, "Woman ejected, dragged on Copper's Rocky Mountain Coaster, lawyers claim" (Aug 26, 2026) — westword.com
- Vail Daily, "Woman sustains 'life-altering' injuries on Copper Mountain's Alpine coaster, law firm claims" — vaildaily.com
- KDVR, "Woman ejected from Copper Mountain Coaster, state investigating" — kdvr.com
Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California
July 5 – August 27, 2026
Six Flags Magic Mountain's X2 coaster: closure, brain injuries, active Cal/OSHA investigation
X2 has been closed since July 12, 2026 following a July 5, 2026 incident in which an unconscious rider required LA County Fire Department response. A CNN investigation published August 27, 2026 found the ride linked to a pattern of over a dozen serious injuries and two deaths over nearly two decades, including two women who suffered severe subdural hematomas requiring emergency brain surgery within a six-day span in July 2026. California's Cal/OSHA Amusement Ride and Tramway Unit has an active inspection underway. A separate 2022 wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the family of Christopher Hawley against Six Flags and manufacturer S&S Worldwide settled in August 2026, days before a scheduled trial.
→ Read the full sourced timeline
Sources
- CNN, "Six Flags rollercoaster lands two women in hospital with alarmingly similar brain injury" (Aug 27, 2026) — cnn.com
- TechTimes, "Six Flags X2 Linked to Two Deaths and Two Brain Surgeries in Six Days, Records Show" (Aug 27, 2026) — techtimes.com
- The Guardian, "Rollercoaster at LA's Six Flags shut after two riders suffered brain injuries, inquiry finds" (Aug 28, 2026) — theguardian.com
- Los Angeles Times, "Extreme Six Flags coaster remains closed as officials investigate" (Aug 14, 2026) — latimes.com
- KTLA, Signal SCV, Times of San Diego — see full source list on the dedicated X2 page
Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
June 21, 2026
Metal piece detaches from Cedar Point's Magnum XL-200, nearly strikes guest
On Father's Day, June 21, 2026, a small metal washer detached from the lift mechanism of Cedar Point's Magnum XL-200 roller coaster and landed near a guest in an adjacent water area, who said it missed her by inches. The park confirmed the incident, closed the ride briefly for inspection, and reopened it. No injuries were reported.
Sources
- FOX8 (WJW), "Cedar Point confirms metal piece fell from coaster, leading to short closure" (Jun 24, 2026) — fox8.com
- Akron Beacon Journal, "Cedar Point's Magnum coaster closes, then reopens after part falls off" (Jun 23, 2026) — beaconjournal.com
- People, "Cedar Point Confirms Piece of Roller Coaster Fell Off..." (Jun 24, 2026) — people.com
Circuit of the Americas (COTALAND), Austin, Texas
May 9, 2026
$1 million lawsuit filed after riders stranded 130 feet up on Circuit Breaker tilt coaster
Matthew Cantu filed a $1 million lawsuit in Travis County against COTALAND and ride manufacturer Vekoma, alleging gross negligence, negligence, premises liability, and product defect. Cantu and a companion, Nicholas Sanchez, were left stranded vertically more than 130 feet in the air on the Circuit Breaker tilt coaster for over an hour on December 17, 2025, after a system malfunction. The suit alleges the park had no adequate emergency evacuation plan and that Cantu suffered head, neck, and back injuries during the incident.
Sources
- Austin American-Statesman, "'Gross negligence': COTA roller coaster riders stuck 120 feet in the air file $1M lawsuit" (May 9, 2026) — statesman.com
- KXAN, "COTA, ride maker sued for $1M over stuck roller coaster incident" (May 9, 2026) — kxan.com
- People, "Texas' COTALAND Theme Park Sued After Guest Claims He Was Injured While Stuck on Tilt Coaster" (May 2026) — people.com
This tracker is updated only with independently verifiable news. If you know of a real, dated, sourced theme park or roller coaster safety incident that should be added here, we welcome tips — but we will not publish unverified claims.
This page reports publicly available news coverage for informational purposes and is not legal advice. Facts are attributed to the named outlets above. RollerCoasterInjury.com is an attorney-advertising and lead-generation site, not a law firm, and is not affiliated with Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, Cedar Fair, Vail Resorts, Circuit of the Americas, or any theme park named on this page.