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Geneva speed demon clocks 325 km/h

Meritxell Mir
Meritxell Mir - [email protected]
Geneva speed demon clocks 325 km/h

A 28-year-old driver is facing a hefty fine after speeding at 325 km/h in his Bentley Continental on a highway in southern Switzerland while recording his high-octane exploits on his mobile phone.

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The incident took place on April 21st, but Vaud’s cantonal police did not discover his reckless driving until September. Authorities were carrying out a criminal investigation into medicine trafficking in which the speedy driver happened to be involved, television station TSR’s show 19:30 reported.

The police requisitioned his mobile phone where they discovered the three videos recorded between 3.31am and 3.36am on the A1 motorway between Coppet and Vengeron.

When questioned by the police, he claimed that he was in the passenger’s seat and that a friend of his was behind the wheel. However, police say they have evidence he was travelling alone.

“It is clearly criminal behaviour because a driver who travels at 325 km/h on a highway covers 90 metres per second," Vaud’s police spokesman Jean-Christophe Sauteral told TV station RSI. "If he had found an obstacle on the road, he would have had no chance of avoiding it.”

The 300,000-franc ($326,000) Bentley has been confiscated by the police, and the driver’s licence taken away. He now faces charges for breaking traffic laws and reckless endangerment and could face a fine of up to 60,000 francs ($65,200).

In another high-profile speeding case, Fribourg’s cantonal court on Tuesday ordered a 38-year-old Swede to pay a fine of 45,000 francs ($48,800) after he was caught driving at 290 km/h.

The court rejected the man's appeal and upped his fine from the equivalent of 180 days pay to 300 days pay, bringing the total fine to 45,000 francs, although half the fine was suspended, newspaper Blick reported.

In August 2010, the Swede was caught clocking Formula 1 speeds in Fribourg in his Mercedes-Benz SLS on the A12 motorway. The driver was stopped by Vaud’s cantonal police between Flamatt and Guin. He was arrested and had his car confiscated.

Driving more than 25 kilometres an hour over the 120-kilometre speed limit on motorways in Switzerland is regarded as a criminal offence, and fines are based on a driver's income.

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