A man in Georgia got caught speeding on the freeway and was handed a hefty $1.4 million ticket in September. He was told he had to pay it or go to court. Connor Cato was driving through Savannah on September 2, going 90 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone. He thought he’d get a ‘super speeder’ ticket for going 35 miles over the speed limit, but he didn’t expect a fine exceeding $1,000.
The fine was just a placeholder
Cato initially thought it was a typo, so he called the court. They told him, “$1.4 million,”’ Cato explained to WSAV. He replied, ”This might be a typo,” but they insisted, “No, sir, you either pay the amount on the ticket or you come to court on December 21 at 1.30 pm.” Later, he discovered that the astounding $1.4 million fine was just a temporary figure.
This fee was automatically generated by e-citation software used by the local Recorder’s Court for “super speeders,” according to Joshua Peacock, a spokesperson for Savannah’s city government. The actual fine will be determined by a judge during Cato’s mandatory court appearance for “super speeders.”
The software automatically puts a $999,999.99 base amount
“Since super speeders are required to go to court, the software automatically puts in a $999,999.99 base amount plus state-mandated costs,” the spokesperson continued. “Recorders Court is adjusting the language in e-citations to avoid future confusion.”
Criminal defense attorney Sneh Patel expressed his surprise, saying, “I have never seen something like this, ever. I mean, I can’t imagine someone would have to pay $1.4 million for not showing up for a speeding ticket,” when speaking to WSAV.