Milan police officer dies in 180 km/h chase; suspect granted house arrest after confessing

The fatal pursuit

On the evening of 22 June, Francesco Imprezzabile, a 39-year-old officer with Milan's local police, died when his motorcycle slid out during a high-speed chase through the Ponte Lambro district. The suspect, Genti Berisha, 26, had refused to stop at a joint checkpoint set up by local and state police on Via Elio Vittorini and fled in a rented Audi Q8, reaching speeds of 180 kilometres per hour. Investigators later ruled out a collision between the SUV and the motorcycle, concluding that Imprezzabile lost control and fell.

Arrest and confession

Berisha was arrested the following day in nearby Monza after being traced by officers. Appearing before investigating judge Giulia Masci at San Vittore prison on 26 June, he admitted he had panicked because he was carrying three grams of marijuana. His defence lawyer, Fabrizio Cardinali, stated after the hearing:

He takes full responsibility for this instinctive, reckless act, misjudging the situation out of immaturity. With three grams of marijuana nothing would have happened anyway.

Berisha offered apologies and said he was prepared to compensate the victim's family "within his means." He also stated he had not realised the officer had fallen during the chase.

Judicial twist: charges reclassified

Prosecutor Francesca Crupi initially requested pre-trial detention on charges of vehicular homicide and dangerous flight. However, judge Masci reclassified the homicide charge as "death resulting from another crime" (dangerous flight) and validated only the flight arrest. After the interrogation, the prosecutor modified her request, and the judge ordered house arrest with an electronic bracelet, allowing Berisha to leave prison that afternoon.

The suspect has confessed, and family members have provided a house, so house arrest is a suitable precautionary measure.

The arrival of Berisha's mother and sister from Albania was taken into account as a stabilising factor. The 26-year-old is concurrently facing a separate drug case in Brescia, where prosecutors have requested a nine-year prison sentence.

Background and broader context

Berisha works at a car wash and was already subject to a periodic signing-in obligation in connection with the Brescia drug investigation. Three other people were reportedly in the SUV with him, but he has refused to name them, maintaining that the decision to flee was his alone. The SUV and the victim's police motorcycle have both been seized.