Italy: Eight Years for Driver in Fatal Porsche Crash, Co-Defendant Acquitted

Franco Vacchina has been sentenced to eight years in prison for his involvement in a fatal car accident that claimed the life of 20-year-old Matilde Baldi. The incident occurred on the Asti-Cuneo highway on the evening of December 11, 2025. Davide Bertello, who was also implicated, was acquitted by the Tribunal of Asti.

The court did not accept the prosecution's theory of an illegal street race, which had led to requests for 10-year and 5-year sentences for Vacchina and Bertello, respectively. Vacchina, a tire merchant from Asti, was driving a Porsche GT3 RS at an extremely high speed, estimated at around 200 km/h. Bertello followed closely behind in another supercar.

Baldi, a shop assistant and university student, was returning home in a Fiat 500 driven by her mother, Elvia Pia, who was seriously injured in the collision. The Fiat was traveling at approximately 73 km/h in the middle lane when Vacchina's Porsche rear-ended it. Bertello managed to avoid the crash by swerving into the emergency lane at the last moment.

Vacchina attempted to explain the accident by stating he waited for the Fiat to finish its overtaking maneuver before accelerating. He claimed to have lost control due to the automatic transmission downshifting two gears and the car's powerful engine. Vacchina had previously been placed under house arrest due to his persistent efforts to prevent the seizure of his car, including offering money to a tow truck operator and attempting to access the vehicle's control unit. The court's detailed reasoning for its verdict is expected in September.