Cotaland coaster – A 24-year-old Austin man is suing Cotaland for more than $1 million after a Circuit Breaker coaster malfunction left him trapped for over an hour at about a 90-degree angle more than 100 feet in the air. The lawsuit, filed May 9 in Texas, alleges injuries and
When the Circuit Breaker roller coaster stopped halfway through its drop, Matthew Cantu said he could hear instructions that sounded more like an accident manual than a rescue plan—an unsettling moment that still echoes in his lawsuit.
Cantu, 24, is suing COTALAND for more than $1 million after the ride malfunctioned in December 2025, court documents say. He claims the coaster got stuck on its signature hill. leaving him and other riders trapped for over an hour with the cars held at a 90-degree angle more than 100 feet in the air.
The complaint says Cantu was visiting Cotaland on Dec. 17 with a friend, Nicholas Sanchez, when they boarded the ride. Cantu describes the coaster as one that features a 132-foot drop at a 90-degree angle. Instead of returning guests back to the platform, the ride remained stuck at that steep angle, according to the lawsuit.
In court filings. Cantu accuses Cotaland operator Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and ride maker Vekoma Rides Manufacturing of negligence. gross negligence. premises liability. maintenance failures. and product defects. The lawsuit also alleges the park did not have an evacuation plan for emergencies like the one Cantu describes—and that park operators failed to call 911.
Cantu says the ordeal caused “serious” injuries, including head, neck, and back damage.
“When you’re in that scenario and you hear them call out, ‘Get the manual,’ I mean that sends shivers down the spine,” Cantu told local news outlet KXAN.
Cotaland disputes the account. The company told KXAN that the ride’s safety features functioned properly, and that the lawsuit is driven by what it called “greed.”
“We take guest safety extremely seriously. and the ride’s built-in safety systems functioned exactly as intended during this temporary delay. ” Griffin Tendler. vice president of marketing for Cotaland. told the news station. “While we understand that any interruption can be frustrating for guests. the characterization of this incident in the lawsuit is inaccurate and motivated by greed.”.
The coaster incident is now tied to a larger question for a park still in the final stages of coming to life. Cotaland is scheduled to open to the public in 2026. Before that, riders were given early access in 2025 as part of the Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix 2025.
The sequence in the lawsuit is stark: a ride designed around a 132-foot, 90-degree drop reportedly stopped on its hill, riders stayed trapped for more than an hour at more than 100 feet in the air, and the complaint points to failures in evacuation planning and emergency response.
Cantu’s case seeks damages of more than $1 million, according to the lawsuit filed in Texas on May 9.
Cotaland COTA Circuit Breaker coaster Matthew Cantu Vekoma Rides Manufacturing lawsuit Texas roller coaster malfunction theme park safety 911 failure Austin
That sounds terrifying. How do you just get stuck 100+ feet up?
If they didn’t call 911 then that’s just insane. Like yeah maybe they’re “working on it” but over an hour upside down?? I’d sue too.
Wait so he heard “get the manual” and that’s why he’s suing? I mean… maybe they meant like the operator training? Coasters glitch all the time, not saying it’s fine but people are acting like it’s some conspiracy.
I’m confused tho because it says Cotaland and also COTA/Circuit of the Americas. Are those the same place? Also how is a park missing an evacuation plan?? That seems like one of those obvious lawsuits they’ve been dodging for years.