Actor Davide Iacopini leaves Rome hospital for rehab, two teens probed over minicar attack

Transfer to rehabilitation

Davide Iacopini, 42, left the San Camillo Forlanini hospital in Rome on 10 November and was moved to the LIFE Santa Lucia IRCCS, where his rehabilitation will begin. The hospital said the transfer was possible because his clinical condition had steadily improved. He had been admitted on 6 October and underwent two neurosurgical operations, first in intensive care and later in the Neurosurgery unit. Reports say he was initially treated by the Shock and Trauma unit. The hospital's statement made clear that his care is far from finished.

“The course of treatment is not yet over and will require a further period of rehabilitation and specialist monitoring.”

The night of the attack

On the evening of 5 October, Iacopini was riding an electric scooter in the Monteverde district of Rome when, according to investigators, he was pushed off the road by occupants of a minicar, a small modified car. He crashed into a parked car and suffered a serious head injury. One report dates the attack to 4 October. Reports also say the same group carried out five other assaults on passers-by in the same area within 48 hours. Carabinieri and local police spent several days trying to identify the vehicle and the two youths.

The investigation

A tip-off on the afternoon of 13 October pointed police to a black minicar with a red cobra sticker on one window, parked on a street between Testaccio and Monteverde. Investigators concluded it was the vehicle used by a 17-year-old and his 16-year-old friend in the attacks between 4 and 5 October. The 17-year-old is accused of driving and the 16-year-old of being the passenger, and both are under investigation for attempted murder and assault. A mechanic who had modified the car with LEDs and stickers also helped identify them. After they were identified, both were taken to a police station, questioned in the presence of a prosecutor, and confessed. On 20 October, the juvenile prosecutor questioned both for three hours, and they answered all the questions. The file has since passed to the juvenile court. Investigators cannot rely on the victim's testimony, because he has no memory of that night.

Recovery so far

Iacopini regained consciousness in late October, speaking with doctors and relatives after 23 days. Doctors gradually reduced his sedation after the two operations until he woke. He had spent about three weeks in intensive care before moving to Neurosurgery. In an interview with Il Messaggero, he said he remembers nothing of the evening.

“I don't remember anything, I didn't even know I'd had an accident.”

He said he learned of the crash only afterwards and knows only that he had an accident. Medical staff have said that his recovery will be long.