Bad surprise for a car driver in the US state of Georgia, after the police caught him for driving too fast.
Instead of the permitted 55 miles per hour, he was traveling at 90 miles (145 kilometers per hour) in early September.
When the penalty order arrived, he was almost hit hard, as local broadcaster WSAV reported: he had to pay 1.4 million dollars (1.33 million euros) for the violation.
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It’s not a typo
The man suspected a typo and called authorities. But no, he said, he had to pay the amount or appear in court on December 21st. The lawyer Sneh Patel told the station that fines in Georgia have never exceeded $1,000 (950.21 euros).
The station then contacted the Savannah city administration. “The amount stated in the electronic subpoena is a placeholder and not a fine,” she responded. The latter would only be determined by the judge on the trial date.
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Anyone exceeding the speed limit by 35 miles per hour or more must appear in court.
The system then automatically entered $999,999.99 plus administration fees as a placeholder. In fact, the maximum fine is $1,000.
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