NEED TO KNOW
- An 80-year-old Italian man drove his car down the Spanish Steps early on June 17
- No injuries or damage to the steps were reported, and the car was lifted via crane from the historic monument
- The man appeared to be in a state of confusion, but later tested negative for alcohol and drug consumption
An elderly man’s car had to be removed via crane from the Spanish Steps in Rome after he drove down them.
Around 4 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 17, an 80-year-old Italian man took a wrong turn on his way to work and ended up driving down the historic steps, per CNN and Italian outlet Il Corriere della Sera. The car eventually stopped on its own, midway down the steps, and no injuries were reported.
The man appeared to be in a state of confusion when the municipal police and firefighters arrived at the scene, Il Corriere della Sera reported. The car itself had to be lifted from the steps using a crane, per The New York Times.
Though uninjured, the man was taken to the hospital as a precaution, CNN reported. There, he tested negative for drug and alcohol consumption.
He was in possession of a valid driver’s license, the outlet reported. Italian law dictates that citizens over 80 must renew their license every two years and complete a medical examination that tests mental acuity.
“After conducting all necessary checks, the driver was reported to the judicial authorities,” the police told NYT via email.
The steps were closed to the public after the incident, CNN reported. When a historic monument in Rome is involved in an incident that may impact its condition, archaeologists conduct a thorough examination to determine if any damage occurred.
Destroying or causing significant damage to a monument such as the Spanish Steps is punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of over 2,000 euros, though no damage has been reported thus far.
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After the incident, the man (whose identity has been kept private) told authorities he was “wrong” to drive down the steps.
A markedly similar incident occurred on the Spanish Steps just three years prior. A man from Saudi Arabia was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage and monuments after driving down the steps, which damaged the 16th and 29th steps on the right, per CNN.
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