Current:Home > FinanceA $1.4 million ticket for speeding? Georgia man shocked by hefty fine, told it's no typo-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
A $1.4 million ticket for speeding? Georgia man shocked by hefty fine, told it's no typo
View Date:2024-12-23 16:20:01
A Georgia man got the shock of his life when received a $1.4 million speeding ticket. Fortunately for him, the figure was just a placeholder.
Connor Cato told Savannah-based WSAV-TV that the Georgia State Patrol pulled him over for driving 90 mph in a 55-mph zone on Sept. 2.
Though Cato was expecting to get a so-called "super speeder" ticket, never in his wildest dreams did he think that it would be for over $1 million.
When he called the court thinking the figure was a typo, he was told that he should either pay the fine or appear in court in December.
“‘$1.4 million,’ the lady told me on the phone," Cato told the station. "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.'"
Semi-truck driver killed:Train derailment closes down I-25 in Colorado
Just a placeholder
Savannah city government spokesman Joshua Peacock told USA TODAY on Monday that Cato's fine is just a placeholder.
"A speeding ticket can only be set by a judge in a court appearance and cannot exceed $1,000 plus state mandated cost," he said.
While Cato still has to appear in court and is considered a "super speeder," he will not have to pay $1.4 million in fine.
Under Savannah law, "super speeders" are anyone caught driving more than 35 mph above the speed limit. Super speeders have to appear in court, where a judge will determine the actual fine.
Peacock explained that because super speeders are required to go to court, the e-citation software automatically puts in a $999,999 base amount plus state-mandated costs. That ended up coming to $1.4 million for Cato.
Watch:Motorcyclist pushes Mass. trooper into road running from traffic stop
The court is currently adjusting the placeholder language in order to avoid any future confusion, Peacock said.
"The city did not implement the placeholder amount in order to force or scare people into court," the City of Savannah said in a statement to WSAV-TV. "The programmers who designed the software used the largest number possible because super speeder tickets are a mandatory court appearance and do not have a fine amount attached to them when issued by police."
Contributing: Associated Press
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (29)
Related
- My Chemical Romance returns with ‘The Black Parade’ tour
- Amazon Prime Day 2024 Has All the Best Deals on Stylish Swimwear You Want at Prices You'll Love
- Team USA Basketball Showcase: Highlights from US vs. Serbia exhibition game
- Not having Pride Night didn’t exclude Rangers from hosting All-Star Game, Manfred says
- Ben Affleck and His Son Samuel, 12, Enjoy a Rare Night Out Together
- 'Top Chef Masters' star Naomi Pomeroy dies at 49 in tubing accident
- Americans spend more on health care than any other nation. Yet almost half can't afford care.
- Syrian official who oversaw prisons with widespread allegations of abuse arrested by US officials
- Trump pledged to roll back protections for transgender students. They’re flooding crisis hotlines
- Shooting attack at Oman mosque leaves 6 people dead, dozens wounded
Ranking
- Secret Service Agent Allegedly Took Ex to Barack Obama’s Beach House
- Simone Biles documentary director talks working with the GOAT, why she came back, more
- Internet-Famous Amazon Prime Day Deals That Are Totally Worth the Hype – and Start at Just $4
- Wind power operations off Nantucket Island are suspended after turbine blade parts washed ashore
- When do new episodes of 'Cobra Kai' Season 6 come out? Release date, cast, where to watch
- Sheriff’s deputies fatally shoot 2 people while serving a warrant in Georgia
- Fisherman breaks NY state record for species considered living dinosaur
- After heavy June rains, a buildup of manganese is discoloring a Louisiana city’s water supply
Recommendation
-
Watch out, Temu: Amazon Haul, Amazon's new discount store, is coming for the holidays
-
Diana Taurasi back from injury: How Mercury star fared in past two games
-
100K+ Amazon Shoppers Bought This Viral Disposable Face Towel Last Month, & It's 30% Off for Prime Day
-
DNA breakthrough solves 1963 cold case murder at Wisconsin gas station
-
RHOBH's Kyle Richards Shares Reaction to BFF Teddi Mellencamp's Divorce
-
Amazon Prime Day Deals on Cute Athleisure & Activewear That Won't Break a Sweat, up to 58% Off
-
The Daily Money: Why women struggle with retirement saving
-
Dick Vitale details road ahead, prepares to battle cancer for fourth time