First an argument with his wife, then the car ended up in the sea. Finally, a flight and a manhunt that spread across the whole area. The incident, which took place in the afternoon at the port of Cattolica, ended in the evening with the detention of the 45-year-old Albanian man involved. He was tracked down by the Carabinieri near his home in San Giovanni in Marignano and taken into custody. He is facing charges of attempted murder.
It all began around 4pm. The 45-year-old was in his Volkswagen Golf with his wife when a violent argument reportedly broke out between the two. According to the reconstruction currently being examined by investigators, the man is believed to have deliberately steered the car towards the quay, sending it plunging into the harbour waters.
Husband and wife managed to get out of the vehicle as it sank. The intervention of some fishermen and passers-by proved decisive, as they immediately dove into the water to rescue the couple and bring them back to shore.
Once on the quay, however, the 45-year-old left the scene before the Carabinieri arrived, disappearing without a trace. The search continued for several hours until officers located him near his home.
Investigations are ongoing to establish exactly what happened and to shed light on the family context surrounding the incident. Only the day before, the Carabinieri had already intervened in an episode involving the same couple: the 45-year-old, who was intoxicated at the time, had been arrested for resisting arrest after lashing out at officers. After being released, just a few hours later the new and far more serious incident occurred.
