A millionaire avoided jail time when a video of him speeding down a German highway in his Bugatti was circulated online.
Radim Passer, 58, was arrested earlier this year when he was discovered sitting behind the wheel of his car with a younger man in the passenger seat.
Passer, a Czech investment manager, looked to be traveling at a stunning 259.1mph on a straight stretch of the A2 between Berlin and Hanover at one point, triggering calls for speed limits on Germany’s autobahn routes as well as an investigation into the event.
Prosecutors were required by statute to show that the motorist was driving “at an unsuitable pace, substantially opposed to traffic, and carelessly in order to achieve the highest possible speed. “Passer’s Bugatti Chiron has a top speed of 261 mph since any faster would cause the vehicle’s tires to burst.
Following the investigation, the Stendal public prosecutor’s office closed the case, citing insufficient evidence to press charges.
The public prosecutor’s office stated that the highway was practically empty at the time of the stunt, that there was adequate visibility and weather conditions, and that the Bugatti Chiron is suited for driving at such high speeds.
As a result, the public prosecutor determined that no one was harmed during the 4.50 a.m. stunt. Passer was not charged because there was insufficient evidence of a crime.
Passer stated at the time the film was posted that it was shot in 2021 on a six-mile, three-lane stretch of road with “visibility along the entire stretch.”
“Safety was a priority, so the circumstances had to be safe to go,” he wrote, adding: “We thank God for the safety and good circumstances, as we were able to reach the speed.”
In a statement at the time, the Transport Ministry stated that it “rejects any behavior in road traffic that leads or can lead to endangering road users.”
Much of Germany’s highway network has no speed limit, though drivers are advised to travel at 81mph. The German Alliance 90/The Greens political party called for the recommendation to become law last year as part of efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, but the plan was eventually dropped.
Despite the criticism, the film is still available on Passer’s YouTube profile. It had over 14 million views at the time of writing.