News

Young German woman is 7th victim of drunken driver in Italy

Posted January 06, 2020 6:00 am

The Associated Press

A man lights a candle at the scene where a car has plowed into a group of people in Luttach, near Bruneck in the northern region South Tirol, Italy, Sunday, Germany, Jan. 5, 2020. Italian fire officials say a car has plowed into a group of young German tourists in northern Italy, killing at least six people and injuring eleven. (AP Photo/Helmut Moling) The Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) - A young German woman died in a hospital Monday, the seventh person killed after a drunken driver speeding on an Alpine road in northern Italy plowed into German skiers on vacation, police said.

The accident occurred early Sunday in the village of Valle Aurina, northeast of Bolzano in Italy's Alto Adige region, as the Germans gathered near their tour bus. They were between ages of 20 and 25.

Germany's dpa news agency reported the woman was one of two who had been airlifted to a hospital in nearby Austria in critical condition, Bolzano police said. Italy's ANSA news agency identified her as a 21-year-old who died at the Innsbruck University Clinic.

Police on Sunday said six people died at the scene and 11 were injured. There were no immediate details Monday on the conditions of the others.

The 27-year-old local man who was driving the car was taken to an Italian hospital after the accident but was soon released and taken to prison. He faces a possible 18-year sentence if convicted.

Italian news reports said the driver's blood alcohol level was nearly four times the legal limit and that he slammed into the tourists as they were getting off their bus and returning home after an evening out. His attorney told dpa he did not think his client was so intoxicated.

General view on a street where a car had plowed into a group of people in Luttach, near Bruneck in the northern region South Tirol, Italy, Sunday, Germany, Jan. 5, 2020. Italian fire officials say a car crashed into a group of young German tourists in northern Italy, killing at least six people and injuring eleven. (AP Photo/Helmut Moling) The Associated Press

Emergency services of the Luttach voluntary fire brigade secure an accident site after a car drove into a group of people leaving a bus in Luttach, near Bruneck in the northern region South Tirol, Italy, on early Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020. (Freiwillige Feuerwehr Luttach via AP) The Associated Press

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers Crime Nation and World News

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.