Son of Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista convicted of manslaughter charges in cyclist's death

RIO DE JANEIRO – The son of Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a cyclist.

The 21-year-old Thor Batista hit the cyclist last year while driving his Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren at night through a low-income suburb in Rio de Janeiro.

Wanderson dos Santos was riding his bike home from work and died instantly.

The press office of the Rio de Janeiro state judiciary says that Judge Daniela Barbosa Assumpcao de Souza sentenced Batista to two years of community service, the two-year suspension of his driver's license and a one million real ($500,000) fine. It says the sentence was handed down Wednesday night and could be appealed.

Eike Batista is chairman of an industrial conglomerate active in the energy, mining and logistics fields.