Man stunned after receiving $1.4m speeding ticket for driving 35mph over limit

Connor Cato wrongly first thought the hefty penalty was a typo

A Georgia motorist was left in shock after he was hit with a $1.4 speeding fine for driving 35 mph over the limit.

Connor Cato first thought the hefty penalty was a typo after he was caught in Savannah driving 90mph in a 55mph zone.

However, when he contacted the court to enquire, he was told to either pay the fine or appear in court in December.

Mr Cato said he was told by city staff the mammoth sum was a “placeholder” which was generated by computer software.

He explained the seven-figure misunderstanding in an interview with Savannah’s WSAV-TV.

“‘$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,’” Mr Cato said.

In Savannah, drivers caught doing more than 35 mph above the speed limit have to appear in court, where a judge will determine the actual fine.

A spokesman for Savannah’s city government said Mr Cato’s “placeholder” fine would have been automatically generated by e-citation software used by the local Recorder’s Court.

The eventual penalty is typically up to $1,000, according to city officials.

Mr Cato must also appear in court due to how much above the speed limit he was travelling.