Adriana Brasileiro – Bloomberg, 03/20/2012
Thor Batista, 20, eldest son of Eike Batista, is accused of killing a bicyclist in an automobile accident. (Alex Palarea / Agnews)
Thor Batista, the son and heir apparent of Brazil’s richest man, is being investigated for possible manslaughter after he ran over a cyclist on a highway outside Rio de Janeiro on the evening of March 17, the city’s police said.
Thor, 20, son of billionaire Eike Batista, hit a 30-year- old man as he drove a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren sports car on Washington Luiz highway, about 45 kilometers (27.9 miles) from Rio, Rio police said in an e-mailed statement yesterday. The accident led to the death of Wanderson Pereira, police said.
Batista, who has another, younger son, defended his eldest in messages posted on Twitter. He said Thor’s behavior was “exemplary,” and that he wasn’t reckless.
