According to a news outlet, the $1.4 million speeding ticket that shocked a Georgia man turned out to be a placeholder rather than the actual fine.
Local news in Savannah reported that Connor Cato was driving 90 mph in a 55 mph zone in September and was issued a penalty. He contacted the court to ask if the number was a mistake but was told he had to pay up or show up in December.
Although Cato expected to receive a speeding ticket, he did not expect the amount to reach more than $1 million.
A report shows that Sneh Patel, a defense attorney, said this was the first time he’d ever seen anything like it. If you are found speeding more than 35 miles per hour above the limit in Savannah, you will be compelled to show up in court, and a judge will set your fine. They claimed the number given to Cato was only a stand-in number created by a computer. In addition to mandatory state fees, the total penalties cannot exceed $1,000.
Court officials told local news that they were seeking to clarify the language used in e-citations.
Because super speeding citations need an appearance in court but have no monetary fee attached when issued by police, the programmers who created the application used the maximum number allowed.
A spokeswoman for the City of Savannah has stated to local media that the City didn’t establish the temporary fine level in an effort to coerce or intimidate anyone into going to court. Because super speeding citations need an appearance in court but have no monetary fee attached when issued by police, the programmers who created the program used the maximum number allowed. The Recorder’s Court is seeking to clarify the wording used in electronic citations.
