DETROIT, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- An octogenarian billionaire and the president of his company are free men after a Detroit judge had them spend a night in jail for dawdling on a bridge project.

A Michigan appellate court ordered Manuel "Matty" Moroun, 84, owner of the Ambassador Bridge, and bridge company President Dan Stamper released from the Wayne County Jail Friday evening, The Detroit Free Press reported.


Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards had ordered the high-powered pair jailed Thursday when he found the Detroit International Bridge Co. in contempt of court for repeatedly failing to comply his orders to cooperate with state transportation officials to wrap up a project to redo the bridge's ramps and connecting links to Interstates 75 and 96.

The Gateway Project was supposed to have been done back in 2007 but current estimates are completion is still at least nine months away.

Neither Moroun nor Stamper gave any indication what their next move might be as they left the lockup after 32 hours behind bars.

"I love my family and I'm happy to be with them," Moroun told reporters. "I love my country. It's the best country in the world."

The Michigan Appeals Court is to hold a hearing Feb. 2 on Edwards' contempt.