TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The parents of an Arizona State hockey player who collapsed during an outdoor workout are calling for the coaches involved to be removed until an independent investigation is completed.
John and Christina Mayich, parents of 21-year-old Matthew Mayich, released a statement through the family attorney on Tuesday, concurring with a letter sent by seven Arizona State hockey players to university president Michael Crow on Monday. The players asked the university to place the coaches involved in the Aug. 20 workout to be placed on administrative leave until an investigation by an outside agency is completed.
The letter was sent anonymously through an attorney because the players feared retribution from the coaching staff.
“We’ve heard some things about what our family wants that aren’t right, so we want to be clear: we want this team to have a great season and we’ll be cheering for you,” the Mayichs said through attorney Rob Carey. “But the coaches who ran that workout on August 20 need to be removed while an independent investigation gets to the truth. The players shouldn’t have to worry about retaliation from the people they report to every day."
Mayich, a 21-year-old defenseman who was drafted by the St. Louis Blues, collapsed during an outdoor workout on the first day the NCAA allows official activities. He suffered from external heat stroke that reduced flow of oxygen to his brain and is unlikely to recover, Carey said.
The letter sent by the players called out discrepancies from an initial probe by Arizona State and asked for an interim coaching staff be put in place if the coaches involved are placed on leave.
“Nobody should keep quiet about what they think should happen because they believe that’s what we want. It isn’t,” the Mayichs said. "If anyone wants to know what we want, ask us. We want the truth, and we want it done in a way that lets the boys focus on hockey instead of wondering whether their coaches think they talked. Mostly, we want accountability for what happened to our son, and we want his teammates to be safe.”
The Arizona State police department is investigating the incident and a report will be sent to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for independent review when completed.
Arizona’s House and Senate education committee chairs called for an independent investigation of Arizona State’s hockey workout after reading the letter from the players.
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FILE - Members of the Arizona State University hockey team skate on the ice at the new Mullett Arena, Oct. 24, 2022, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Six Flags Magic Mountain said Tuesday that it is retiring its famous X2 roller coaster amid lawsuits alleging serious brain injury caused by the ride.
The Southern California theme park said it is permanently shuttering the ride after nearly 20 years. Six Flags recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022, and three more lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed last week.
“While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” park President Brian Oerding said in an online announcement. “Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.”
The ride has been closed since the evening of July 12, after two women who rode the coaster less than a week apart both needed to be rushed to the hospital after they exited.
One of them, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, collapsed shortly after the ride ended and was found to have massive brain bleeding inside her skull that required emergency brain surgery. She remains in a vegetative state in the hospital, unable to speak or move and dependent on a ventilator. Her family filed a lawsuit against Six Flags on her behalf.
Her attorneys said more than 100 people have claimed they got brain injuries from the roller coaster in the past two years and that the closure of X2 would not keep them from continuing to file lawsuits.
“Closing the ride protects future guests, and we welcome that. But it does nothing for the people who have already been hurt,” attorney Gary Dordick said. “Six Flags must now take responsibility for them.”
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health opened an investigation into the ride after the July incidents and said it remains ongoing.
According to the Six Flags Magic Mountain website, the X2 roller coaster reaches a top speed of 76 mph (122 kph) and has a total length of 3,610 feet (1,100 meters). The seats rotate 360 degrees “so your body will be flipping around the entire time,” and the ride features two “raven turns” — half loops that turn into sheer drops midway.
It debuted at the park in 2002 under the name X as the world’s first “fourth-dimension” roller coaster and reopened in 2008 as X2 with new trains and special effects. The uniqueness of the ride drew thrill-seekers from around the world and garnered a fervent fanbase.
The park settled a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of Christopher Hawley, a 22-year-old who died the day after he rode X2. He was taken to the hospital after the ride with severe brain bleeding. The medical examiner’s office said his death was from blunt head trauma. The case was settled at the end of August, a few days before the trial was scheduled to start.
A Six Flags Magic Mountain sign is seen in Valencia, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
This aerial view shows the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
This aerial view shows the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
