German undergoes prolonged stay in a mental health facility due to a fatal vehicular mishap
Recently, a woman from Germany was found guilty of a tragic incident that occurred over a year ago in Italy. She drove her car into a group of individuals, resulting in the loss of three lives. Despite the possibility of a significant prison sentence, the court decided on a lesser punishment - a prolonged stay in a psychiatric facility. The defendant's legal team's plea for a different location was not successful.
Just over 12 months ago, the incident took place in the northern Italian town of Santo Stefano di Cadore, close to the Austrian border. The woman from Bavaria, specifically from the Deggendorf area, struck a group of pedestrians with her vehicle. The tragedy claimed the lives of a two-year-old boy, his father, and grandmother. The mother was grievously injured and hospitalized, while the grandfather suffered a heart attack as well.
Prison time could have been imposed
Investigations by the authorities revealed that the car seemed to collide with the group at high speed, with no indication of braking. Contrary to some witness testimonies, the woman from Bavaria was not using her phone during the incident, as announced by the prosecution soon after the incident.
Initially, there was uncertainty about where the German woman would serve her sentence. Following the lethal crash, she was initially detained on the Giudecca Island in Venice. Afterwards, she was transferred to a psychiatric facility near Verona. Now it has been confirmed that she will serve her sentence in this Italian clinic. Her lawyer had unsuccessfully attempted to have her transferred to a facility in Germany.
In Italy, causing fatalities due to vehicular offenses is a criminal offense, punishable by a prison term of two to seven years per victim. For multiple fatalities, the maximum sentence is 18 years, provided there are no exacerbating circumstances such as intent or driving twice the speed limit. In the town center of Santo Stefano in the Dolomites, the speed limit is 50 kilometers per hour, and it was reported that the German woman's car was traveling around 90 kilometers per hour.
Despite the seriousness of the car accidents and the potential for a lengthy prison sentence, the court decided on a different form of punishment due to the woman's mental health concerns. The tragic incident occurred in Santo Stefano di Cadore, where the woman hit a group of pedestrians, resulting in the fatalities of a child, his father, and grandmother, as well as injuries to others.
