Lawsuit filed due to ride malfunction at COTALAND

Lawsuit filed over ride malfunction at COTALAND

The main attraction at Circuit of the Americas’ new amusement park and the ride’s manufacturer were named in a lawsuit filed this week.

AUSTIN, Texas - The main attraction at Circuit of the Americas’ new amusement park and the ride’s manufacturer were named in a lawsuit filed this week. The ride opened in October.

The million-dollar lawsuit stems from a December incident in which two friends were riding the Circuit Breaker and became stuck more than 130 feet in the air for about an hour.

The backstory:

Matthew Cantu and his friend were stuck on the ride during a system malfunction.

"They hung like that for an hour," said attorney Edward Festeryga, with Edward Festeryga PLLC. "They waited and waited, their bodies absorbed the strain and discomfort from sitting suspended at a 90-degree angle."

Matthew Cantu, his fiancé, and his friend visited Peppermint Parkway, the Christmas-themed walk-through experience at COTA, on Dec. 17. Festeryga said attendants at COTALAND encouraged the friends to try the new Circuit Breaker ride. 

The Circuit Breaker is one of only two tilt coasters in North America.

"They got to the tilt section—the main feature of the ride—when it tilted over," Festeryga said. "They found themselves facing straight down, and the music stopped."

COTALAND faces lawsuit after ride malfunction

COTA is facing a massive lawsuit after a roller coaster ride turned into a nightmare. A rider is now suing for over $1 million following a malfunction on The Circuit Breaker Coaster.

Representatives for COTA said a sensor pin malfunctioned, disrupting communication between the mechanical and computerized systems.

"There should have been a plan to evacuate them much sooner," Festeryga said. "They should not have been forced to endure the ride’s forces after sitting suspended for an hour."

At the time of the incident, COTA released a statement: "As with all amusement attractions of this sort, delays occasionally occur. We regret the inconvenience and are glad that out of the 25,000 people who have ridden the coaster, only two have this badge of courage."

The lawsuit alleges that Circuit of the Americas amusement park was negligent in its maintenance of the ride, and claims the Vekoma-manufactured attraction has product defects, according to court documents.

Defense representatives maintain that the ride’s built-in safety systems functioned as intended, preventing a more serious accident.

Attorney Edward Festeryga said the discovery process will begin once the defendants respond. COTA declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.