Driver detained in Viareggio after fatal hit-and-run on cyclist Linda Martinucci
Carabinieri officers tracked down the driver and passengers of a van near the Torre Matilde overpass after the victim's partner and a passing motorist recorded the license plate following a 2:57 collision.
Fatal collision at the Torre Matilde overpass
During the overnight hours between Thursday, 10 September, and Friday, 11 September 2026, 46-year-old cyclist Linda Martinucci was struck and killed by a commercial van in the Tuscan city of Viareggio, located in the province of Lucca. The fatal collision occurred shortly before 3:00 along the old Torre Matilde overpass, directly adjacent to a local petrol station. Martinucci, who was born in 1980, was cycling alongside her partner, who was also riding a bicycle along the roadway. According to initial reconstructions established by investigators, the driver of the van initiated an overtaking maneuver around a passenger car. While completing the pass and moving back into lane, the van struck Martinucci, while her companion was not hit by the vehicle.
Emergency intervention and hospital transit
The emergency call to the 112 unified response center was logged at 2:57, alerting rescue units to the severe collision. An emergency medical car reached the overpass at 3:02, arriving within five minutes alongside an ambulance from the Croce Verde and units from the Carabinieri. Paramedics found Martinucci lying on the roadway in critical condition and initiated immediate stabilization protocols before preparing her for emergency transit. During transport toward the hospital emergency room, the victim suffered sudden cardiac arrest. Paramedics performed continuous resuscitation attempts inside the vehicle, but Martinucci could not be revived and passed away before reaching the emergency department.
- Emergency call placed to 112 following collision near the Torre Matilde overpass
- Medical response team arrives at the scene to stabilize Linda Martinucci
- Victim suffers cardiac arrest and passes away en route to the hospital
- Carabinieri locate and detain the driver and passengers near the crash site
Driver flight and witness assistance
Following the impact, the van driver accelerated and fled the scene without stopping to render aid or check on Martinucci. Martinucci's partner was the first to offer assistance, working alongside the driver of the car that had just been overtaken by the van. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, the partner and the motorist managed to read and record the license plate of the fleeing van despite the chaos and emotional distress of the moment. They provided the vehicle registration number directly to the emergency operator during the initial phone call. Carabinieri officers immediately utilized the registration data and reviewed footage from municipal video surveillance cameras across the district to track the van's escape route.
Police apprehension and formal proceedings
Relying on the license plate provided by the eyewitnesses, Carabinieri patrols located and stopped the suspect van a short distance from the crash site in Viareggio. The driver was identified by law enforcement as a non-EU citizen traveling with several compatriots inside the vehicle. Investigators established that none of the passengers in the van made any attempt to stop the driver or assist the dying cyclist. Officers brought the driver and all passengers to the local Carabinieri barracks to examine their legal positions and determine individual responsibilities. Authorities ordered mandatory alcohol tests for all individuals present in the van, while military police concluded forensic surveys on the overpass to map the exact trajectory of the vehicle during the fatal pass.
