FLORENCE. The Police stopped, after more than forty minutes of pursuit and with the use of six patrols, the reckless run of a young German woman who, on August 20, suddenly reversed direction on the Citerna highway crossing, along the A1 Panoramica, driving the wrong way towards Barberino di Mugello (Florence).
Read more “The Pappardelle” conquer Reazione a Catena again: the three Florentines surpass 200 thousand euros
The alarm for the wrong-way vehicle
The alarm was triggered shortly after 9:30 when dozens of calls arrived at the Florence 112-NUE center reporting the presence of a minivan with German plates traveling the wrong way and at high speed on the north carriageway of the A1 Panoramica.
The operations room of the Florence Highway Police (Cops) and that of Autostrade per l’Italia, already alerted by the activation of sensors that had detected the vehicle’s presence, immediately sent all available patrols to the affected stretch: six in total, four from the Pian del Voglio Subsection and two from the Florence North one.
Highway closed between Barberino and Badia
At the same time, the technical closure of the Panoramica and the Direttissima between Barberino di Mugello (Florence) and Badia, on the Direttissima, and Roncobilaccio, on the Panoramica, was ordered. Despite the measures taken, the risk remained very high due to the heavy traffic present at that time.
The vehicle, with a 32-year-old German woman on board, was initially intercepted by a patrol from Pian del Voglio. The driver, instead of stopping at the stop, avoided the police vehicle and continued her dangerous high-speed run.
The wrong-way escape up to the Barberino toll booth
Upon reaching the Barberino di Mugello junction, the woman reversed direction again, cutting off incoming traffic on the four lanes and avoiding a second stop ordered by the Florence North Highway Police patrols.
The escape then continued towards the Barberino di Mugello toll booth, from where the 32-year-old immediately resumed driving towards Bologna, pursued by the officers.
The woman tries to hide in service junctions
Seeing herself now caught, she reversed and then once again drove the wrong way towards Barberino di Mugello.
Only after more than forty minutes, during which the minivan repeatedly disappeared from surveillance cameras, was it later discovered that the woman was entering numerous service junctions in an attempt to hide; the physical blockade of the carriageways, carried out together with the technical staff of the IV Trunk of Autostrade per l’Italia, left her no choice but to stop.
Positive for cannabis, taken to hospital
The driver appeared in a state of strong psychomotor agitation and was escorted by 118 personnel to the hospital in Borgo San Lorenzo (Florence). Tests revealed a state of cannabis intoxication and only after a few hours did the woman regain consciousness.
Report, license revoked and vehicle seized
The 32-year-old was reported for dangerous escape and for driving after taking drugs. She was also reported to the Prefect of Florence for drug use and for driving the wrong way.
A small amount of marijuana, found on the vehicle seat, was seized administratively. The driving license was revoked and the vehicle seized.
The video of the reckless run: “Huge risk” for motorists
Surveillance footage documents the huge risk caused by the woman’s conduct for the hundreds of people who, at that moment, were traveling the two highway directions.
The minivan systematically traveled for long stretches in the overtaking lane, where vehicles normally travel at higher speeds.
An extremely dangerous run, interrupted by the coordinated intervention of the patrols before it could have even more serious consequences.
