A $1.4 million speeding ticket surprised a Georgia man before officials clarified the situation

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia man was left reeling after receiving a $1.4 million speeding ticket, but city officials say the figure was just a placeholder, not the actual fine.

Connor Cato tells WSAV-TV in Savannah that he received the citation after getting pulled over in September for driving 90 mph (145 kph) in a 55 mph (89 kph) zone.

He called the court thinking the figure was a typo but says he was told he either had to pay it or appear in court in December.

Savannah officials say anyone caught driving more than 35 mph (56 kph) above the speed limit has to appear in court, where a judge will determine the actual fine.

They said the figure Cato received reflected an automatically generated placeholder. The actual fine cannot exceed $1,000 in addition to state mandated costs.

The officials tell WSAV the court is working on adjusting the language in e-citations to avoid confusion in the future.