A tech prodigy described as Elon Musk’s representative in Italy is under investigation for "road homicide" after an 18-year-old student was fatally struck by a Smart car he was driving in Rome.
Road homicide is legally considered a more serious than standard negligent manslaughter because lawmakers wanted tougher punishment for dangerous driving deaths. The incident happened in the Collatino district of eastern Rome, Italy, on 31st January.
Andrea Stroppa poses with Elon Musk, undated. He was reportedly the driver of the Smart car that struck and killed student Mirco Garofano, 18, living in the municipality of Artena, on January 31st. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@andst7/Newsflash)
According to local media reports, Andrea Stroppa, 32, was at the wheel of the Smart car that hit Mirco Garofano, 18, as the teenager was crossing the street.
Mirco, who was originally from Colleferro and lived in Artena, had travelled to Rome to meet friends.
He was thrown more than 10 metres (32 feet) from the point of impact.
Emergency services attempted to resuscitate him at the scene, but he never regained consciousness.
Stroppa reportedly stopped immediately after the collision and called for help. He was taken to hospital for routine tests, and the car has been seized as part of the investigation.
Andrea Stroppa poses with Elon Musk, undated. He was reportedly the driver of the Smart car that struck and killed student Mirco Garofano, 18, living in the municipality of Artena, on January 31st. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@andst7/Newsflash)
Officers from the Torri unit of the Rome Capital Municipal Police are reconstructing the exact dynamics of the crash.
Local prosecutors have ordered technical examinations of the vehicle to determine its speed and check for any mechanical faults, as well as checks on nearby traffic lights. CCTV cameras in the area have been seized and an autopsy has been ordered.
Among the hypotheses being examined is whether the 18-year-old may have crossed the central reservation of the three-lane carriageway. Investigators are analysing footage to establish the precise point of impact and any potential responsibility.
At the time of the crash, Stroppa was reportedly alone in the vehicle.
Mirco Garofano, 18, poses in undated photo. He was killed by a car driven by an Elon Musk associate. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash)
Italian reports state he had been assigned a protection detail by the Rome prefecture, which required him to travel with police escort officers, a matter now under review.
Stroppa, born in Rome in 1994, is an IT specialist and cybersecurity expert who has publicly supported Musk and is widely described in Italian media as his point of reference in Italy, although he holds no formal role within the billionaire’s companies.
He is currently under investigation on suspicion of road homicide.
(Aloysius Fernandes /Newsflash)