tower del Greco - On the same day as Aniello Scarpati's funeral, further details emerge about the tragic night between October 31st and November 1st along the Torre del Greco coastline.
Assisted by the lawyer Domenico Dello Iacono, the 28-year-old businessman from Ercolano, Tommaso Severino, in prison for the aggravated road homicide of the officer Aniello Scarpati and the wounding of his colleague Ciro Cozzolino (whose prognosis was released this morning and he was transferred to the orthopedic department) and failure to provide assistance, he appeared before the preliminary investigations judge of the Torre Annunziata Court for the validation hearing.
“Desperate and dismayed” in front of the investigating judge
“I am desperate and dismayed by what happened,” he reportedly told the magistrate, admitting that he had driven despite having consumed alcohol and acknowledging his state of alteration.
However, the investigating judge accepted the request of the Torre Annunziata Prosecutor's Office, validating the arrest and ordering pre-trial detention in prison, deeming the defense's request for house arrest inadequate.
“He was driving under the influence of alcohol and cocaine”
In his ruling, the judge was clear: Severino was driving under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.
Tests showed he was positive for cocaine and had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit. The investigating judge described his behavior as "characterized by an extremely high level of culpability," emphasizing that the 28-year-old was traveling "at extremely high speed, despite several passengers—including three underage girls—repeatedly urging him to slow down."
After the crash, a cigarette and the escape
The magistrates' reconstruction adds chilling details.
It might interest you
Naples' nightlife scene continues this weekend with checks on over 600 people identified and vehicles seized.
Campi Flegrei, the volcano that never sleeps; INGV reveals new caldera data
Naples: Man steals electric bike in Piazza Garibaldi, chased and arrested
Drug raid in Scampia: 31-year-old from Villaricca arrested
The investigating judge deemed it a case of "quasi-flagrant" activity, emphasizing that the arrest was "mandatory and justified by the gravity of the facts and the personality of the suspect."
The judge: "A tragic, avoidable and foreseeable event."
In his reasons, the judge defined Severino's conduct as "reckless and wicked," emphasizing that the tragic outcome was "a plausible and foreseeable consequence" of his impaired driving.
The 28-year-old, the investigating judge wrote, "displayed remarkable offensive potential, driving while clearly impaired, at very high speed," causing "the unjust and avoidable death of an officer who was only doing his job" and endangering the lives of his own passengers.
“Unable to follow the rules”
The decision to detain the young man also depends on his personality.
"The sheer gravity of the conduct committed and the personality of the accused lead us to believe the suspect is incapable of restraining his criminal impulses," the investigating judge wrote, adding that "it is not possible to formulate a favorable prognosis regarding the commission of future crimes."
For the judge, therefore, no measure other than detention can guarantee public safety.
The line of defense
Severino's defense has announced its intention to appeal to the Review Court, requesting a less severe sentence.
Meanwhile, the city of Torre del Greco remains in shock over the death of Aniello Scarpati, an officer described by colleagues and friends as "a generous young man, always ready to lend a hand," the victim of a tragedy that the investigating judge immediately called "avoidable and the result of reckless conduct."
Comments (1)
It's truly sad that these things happen; you shouldn't drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. An officer's life was lost because of someone who didn't respect the rules of the road. Let's hope this serves as a lesson.