Swiss court fines speeding millionaire $290,000

[February 04, 2010]  ST. GALLEN, Switzerland (AP) -- A Swiss court has slapped a wealthy speeder with a chalet-sized fine -- a full $290,000.

Judges at the cantonal court in St. Gallen, in eastern Switzerland, based the record-breaking fine on the speeder's estimated wealth of over $20 million.

A statement on the court's Web site says the driver -- a repeat offender -- drove up to 35 miles an hour (57 kilometers an hour) faster than the 50-mile-an-hour (80-kilometer-an-hour) limit.

Court clerk Heidi Baumann-Becker said Thursday the unidentified driver can appeal the decision, handed down in November, to the Swiss supreme court.

The Blick daily newspaper in Zurich reported the fine was more than twice the previous Swiss record of about $107,000.

[Associated Press]

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