Man dies at his mother's funeral procession after being hit by a boulder: 7 people injured

Rieti – Funeral procession hit by rocks and debris; the deceased's daughter dies, and seven people are injured.

A tragic accident occurred this afternoon around 1:00 PM along regional road 521, which connects Morro Reatino to Leonessa. A large boulder broke away from the wall overlooking the road the funeral procession was traveling, striking a Chevrolet Spark carrying Maria Antonietta D'Andrea, 66, who died. The woman, a resident of Acilia and owner of a clothing store in Ostia, was driving with her husband on her way to Cascia in the province of Perugia, where her mother's funeral was to be held.

The debris struck other cars, resulting in seven injuries. ARES 118 transported seven people to Rieti Hospital, none of whom were seriously injured. The boulder, weighing about 7 kilograms, according to rescuers, suddenly broke away from a rock face overlooking one side of the road and rolled downhill toward the roadway, striking the window of the Chevrolet Spark small car carrying the 66-year-old woman, who was sitting next to her husband.

The couple, along with other family members who were part of the funeral procession, were travelling to Coronella, a hamlet in the municipality of Cascia (Perugia), to pay their last respects and bury the woman's elderly mother.

First aid was provided by a team from the Rieti Fire Department and Ares 118, along with Carabinieri officers from Leonessa and stations near the accident site. These officers conducted investigations to determine the exact circumstances of the accident and any culprits. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the landslide, which may be related to recent rainfall.

The stretch of road had previously been affected by landslides and mudslides, requiring the installation of nets and retaining walls. The funeral of the mother of the woman who died in the accident was held this afternoon in the small village of Coronella, while the body of the 66-year-old woman is now at the disposal of the judicial authorities, as ordered by the magistrate on duty at the Rieti prosecutor's office.