A motorist in Georgia was left in disbelief after being hit with a $1.4 million speeding fine for driving 35 mph over the limit. Connor Cato initially thought the hefty penalty was a typo when he was caught driving 90 mph in a 55 mph zone in Savannah. However, upon contacting the court, he was informed that he must either pay the fine or appear in court in December. In an interview with WSAV-TV, Mr. Cato described his shock when he spoke to the city staff who explained that the mammoth sum was a “placeholder” generated by computer software. He recalled the conversation, saying, "'$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 December 21 at 1.30pm.'"

In Savannah, drivers caught exceeding the speed limit by more than 35 mph are required to appear in court, where a judge will determine the actual fine. According to city officials, the typical penalty for such offenses is up to $1,000. Therefore, Mr. Cato is also mandated to appear in court due to the excessive speed at which he was traveling.

The incident left Mr. Cato both fast and furious. He admitted to being bewildered when he was handed the $1.4 million ticket by the Georgia State Patrol. Driving through Savannah on September 2, Mr. Cato was caught going 90 mph in a 55 mph zone. While he expected a significant fine, he was astounded by the seven-figure charge. Upon calling the court to inquire about the fee, he was reportedly told that he must either pay the sum or appear in court on December 21 at 1:30 p.m.

Criminal defense attorney Sneh Patel expressed surprise at the unusually high fine for a misdemeanor offense. He noted that such fines are usually associated with cases involving drug trafficking, murders, or aggravated assaults. Patel stated, "Not $1.4 million - that's something that goes into cases that are drug trafficking, murders or aggravated assaults, something of that nature."

However, Mr. Cato was fortunate that the exorbitant price tag did not reflect the actual fine he was expected to pay. The staggering figure of $1.4 million was merely a “placeholder” generated by e-citation software used by the local Recorder's Court. This software automatically applies the placeholder to "super speeders," individuals caught driving more than 35 mph over the speed limit. Joshua Peacock, a spokesman for Savannah's city government, clarified that a judge would set the real fine at Mr. Cato's mandatory court appearance. The fine cannot exceed $1,000 in addition to state-mandated costs.

Peacock emphasized that the placeholder was not intended as a threat to scare individuals into court. He explained that the software programmers used the largest number possible for placeholder fines because super speeder tickets require a mandatory court appearance and do not have a predetermined fine amount when issued by the police. The city is currently working on adjusting the placeholder language to avoid any confusion.

In conclusion, while initially faced with a shocking $1.4 million speeding fine, Mr. Cato discovered that the amount was a placeholder rather than the actual fine he would be required to pay. Savannah officials clarified that anyone caught driving more than 35 mph above the speed limit must appear in court, where a judge will determine the appropriate penalty. The real fine, which cannot exceed $1,000, will be set during Mr. Cato's court appearance.