By IANS/EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : The eldest son of Brazilian billionaire industrialist Eike Batista was behind the wheel of a car that struck and killed a cyclist on a highway in suburban Rio de Janeiro, police said.
The accident took place at around 7 p.m. Saturday as 20-year-old Thor Batista and a friend were traveling in the scion’s Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren sports car.
The victim, identified as Wanderson Pereira dos Santos, 30, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the police report, which said breathalyzer tests showed that neither Thor nor his friend was intoxicated.
With an estimated fortune of $30 billion, Eike Batista ranks seventh on Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s richest individuals.
The group is a sprawling conglomerate with interests in oil and gas, mining, construction and entertainment, among other sectors.
Thor Batista took his first steps in the business world last year, founding a company that manages discotheques.