A Georgia man received an astonishing “super speeder ticket” for a whopping $1.4 million, leaving him with the ultimatum of either paying the hefty amount or making a court appearance.
The incident occurred in Chatham County when Connor Cato was pulled over by a Georgia State Patrol officer for driving at a staggering speed of 90 mph in a 55 mph area.
According to local news outlet WSAV, who spoke with Cato and his attorney, this particular ticket falls under the category of a “super speeder ticket.”
What Does Getting Super Speeder Ticket Mean In Georgia?
While Cato acknowledged that he anticipated receiving a citation, he certainly did not expect the possibility of paying such a fortune.
Upon reaching out to the city for clarification, Cato had a conversation with an operator who confirmed that the amount was not a mistake.
“‘$1.4 million,’ the lady told me on the phone. I said, ‘This might be a typo,’ and she said, ‘No sir, you either pay the amount on the ticket or you come to court on Dec. 21 at 1:30 p.m.'”
WSAV contacted city officials in Savannah, who appeared to attribute the blame to their ticketing system.
Georgia Super Speeder Tickets Explained
The city explained that the fine is designated as a “super speeder ticket” and that the actual amount is determined by the judge during the court appearance.
“The balance reflected in the e-citation is a placeholder, not a fine. Anyone caught speeding 35+ miles per hour receives the placeholder because it is a mandatory court appearance,” officials clarified.
The placeholder amount for such tickets is $999,999, which reaches $1.4 million when additional costs are factored in.
The city emphasized that the eye-watering figure is not actually enforced by the legal system, but has been active since 2017 due to their latest ticketing system.
Additionally, city representatives assured the public that the fines for speeding cannot exceed $1,000.
In response to the confusion caused by the e-citations, a spokesperson from the City of Savannah stated that they are actively working on adjusting the language to prevent similar misunderstandings in the future, and their intention was not to coerce individuals into appearing in court.
Super Speeder Tickets Abroad
Cato isn’t the only one to be slapped with a huge fine for having a led foot, but he should be glad that he wasn’t speeding in Finland.
Earlier this year, Andres Wiklöf, who is one of the country’s richest people, was doing 50 mph in a 30 mph zone, when he was pulled over by police.
The country utilizes a “Day-Fine” system that determines the amount violators must pay based on their incomes.
Due to Wiklöf’s extreme wealth, he was hit with a $129,544 fine for failing to slow down fast enough in a speed trap that “suddenly” reduced the acceptable speed by 20 mph.
Surprisingly, it’s not the first time that Wiklöf has been charged huge fines for speeding. He was issued a $100,000 ticket in 2018, and $66,000 violation in 2013.
