Judge Sets 2027 Trial For Woman's Allegations Over X2 Coaster Injuries

CHATSWORTH, CA — A judge has scheduled a 2027 trial in a lawsuit filed by a Yucaipa husband and wife after the woman allegedly suffered a traumatic brain injury and other medical complications while riding Magic Mountain's troubled X2 roller coaster in 2020.

Sheila Katerelos, 56, and her 53-year-old husband, Ari, brought the suit against Magic Mountain LLC, Six Flags Theme Park Inc., S&S Worldwide Inc. and other parties, alleging negligence, strict product liability, negligent product liability and loss of consortium.

Magic Mountain and Six Flags were dismissed as defendants in May 2024. S&S Worldwide also was dismissed as a party, but the couple appealed and a three-justice panel of the Second District Court of Appeal reinstated the company as a defendant in February.

S&S Worldwide manufactured and designed the roller coaster vehicles. The justices said there are triable issues as to whether X2 caused or contributed to Sheila Katerelos' injuries and whether S&S defendants met their burden of establishing that X2 was not defective "as a matter of law."

On Wednesday, Chatsworth Superior Court Judge Michael O'Gara scheduled trial for Aug. 16, 2027.

The Valencia theme park and S&S Worldwide have already settled with the parents of a 22-year-old San Diego State University graduate who died after riding the attraction in 2022.

Christopher Hawley was in good health when he went to Magic Mountain with his younger brother and cousin but after getting off the ride, he "reportedly walked haltingly, clutched a railing for support and complained that his head hurt before collapsing," according to the family's attorneys, who added that he never regained consciousness and died the next day on June 24, 2022.

Two more X2 riders suffered serious injuries on the ride in July of this year, including one women who had part of her skull removed and another who was left in a coma, according to a CNN report.

Pamela Guillen, 40, told CNN that she went on the ride with her daughter July 5, struck her head against the head rest several times and felt and immediately began vomiting afterward. She passed out after sitting down and was rushed to a hospital, where tests revealed a severe subdural hematoma and brain compression, her family said.

Guillen underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure on her brain, a procedure that required surgeons to remove part of her skull, the network reported.

Then on July 11, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson of Los Angeles, 25, also lost consciousness shortly after riding X2, CNN reported. Like Guillen, she was rushed to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and underwent emergency brain surgery.

As of Thursday, she was in a coma, according to CNN. The amusement park declined to comment for CNN's story.

The ride was closed after Greer-Wilkinson's injury, and remains closed.

Sheila Katerelos' injuries occurred on Feb. 16, 2020. She will continue to incur medical expenses and will be unable to work for the foreseeable future, the suit filed in November 2021 states.

The roller coaster had a design defect and the theme park failed to warn visitors of its potential danger, according to the suit, which further stated that Ari Katerelos has been deprived of the comfort and affection of his wife because of her injuries.

In their court papers requesting dismissal of Magic Mountain as a defendant, the theme park's attorneys contended that Sheila Katerelos was properly restrained in her X2 ride seat.

"Plaintiff did not have any concerns about her ride restraints or her ride seat on the X2, before the ride was dispatched from the X2 ride station," park lawyers stated.

A biomechanical engineering expert, Robert Cargill, conducted data regarding the ride's forces, showing that X2 did not produce sufficient ride forces to cause a subdural hematoma or a traumatic brain injury in Katerelos, park lawyers maintained in their court papers.

"Additionally, there were no known component part failures on the X2 ride that would potentially cause injuries to riders," according to the Magic Mountain attorneys, who further stated in their pleadings that the head restraint padding design and the low acceleration forces indicate the ride cushion was sufficient.

"Tellingly, (Sheila Katerelos) had a medical history of hypertension and the signage warned that individuals with hypertension should not ride," Magic Mountain lawyers further contended. "Ultimately, the ride signage provided sufficient information for a rider to evaluate whether to take part in the ride and to properly ride the X2 ride."

The park attorneys also maintained in their pleadings that Ari Katerelos' cause of action was unsupported by law.

— City News Service