Georgia man surprised after being hit with a $1.4 million speeding ticket
Monday, October 16, 2023, 12:02 p.m
A sign warns drivers on Interstate 89 in Bolton, Vt. Vermont officials are trying to prevent more highway fatalities this year by urging drivers to slow down.
AP–AP
SAVANNAH, Ga. – A Georgia man was left reeling after receiving a $1.4 million speeding ticket. However, city officials say the number was simply a placeholder and not the actual fine.
Connor Cato tells WSAV-TV in Savannah that he received the citation after he was pulled over in September for driving 90 mph (145 km/h) in a 55 mph (89 km/h) zone.
He called the court and thought the number was a typo. However, he was told that he would either have to pay the amount or appear in court in December.
Savannah officials say anyone caught driving more than 35 mph over the speed limit will have to appear in court, where a judge will determine the actual fine.
The number Cato received reflected a “wildcard” automatically generated by the local Recorder’s Court’s e-citation software, said Joshua Peacock, a spokesman for the Savannah City Council. The actual fine may not exceed $1,000 in addition to state-mandated costs.
“We are not issuing this placeholder as a threat to scare anyone in court, even if that person heard differently than someone in our organization,” Peacock told The Associated Press.
He added that the court is “currently working to adjust the placeholder language to avoid confusion.”
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