A U.S. Air Force servicewoman stationed in Italy was arrested and is accused of running over a teenage boy while driving drunk.
Julia Bravo, 20, was allegedly driving with a blood alcohol level four times over the legal limit when she struck and killed 15-year-old Giovanni Zanier with her vehicle, according to Italian media. The crash occurred on Sunday at around 2:30 a.m. in the town of Porcia in northern Italy. Bravo, who is reportedly stationed at Aviano Air Base, has been put under house arrest and charged with vehicular homicide, according to reports.
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“I am devastated with sadness. I apologize to everyone for the pain I have caused,” Bravo said in a hearing on Tuesday, according to ABC News.
Bravo was allegedly driving in the opposite direction of the Aviano Air Base, roughly 10 miles from the site of the crash, when she lost control of her vehicle at a roundabout and struck Zanier, who was standing on a cycling path with two friends, Italian media outlet ANSA reported.
Bravo suffered minor injuries in the crash, and Zanier’s friends were not hurt, according to ANSA.
The case against Bravo could be transferred to a U.S. military court if there is an indictment per an Italian-U.S. treaty under NATO.
However, the mother of the victim, Barbara Scandella, told the Italian court on Tuesday that she hopes Bravo is tried in Italy.
“That woman must be tried in Italy and serve her entire sentence here,” Scandella said. “We know all the precedents where American soldiers have been involved in very serious incidents in Italy. The truth is that, in these cases, they do what they want and go unpunished.”
In 1998, two Marine Corps servicemen deployed to Aviano Air Base were tried in U.S. military court after they clipped a cable supporting a gondola at a ski resort in Cavalese, Italy, while flying their EA-6B Prowler aircraft at a dangerously low altitude. The gondola came crashing down, killing 20 people inside.
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The pilot and navigator of the aircraft were found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide. Italian prosecutors had wanted to try the four aircrew members in Italy, but a court, citing the NATO treaty, gave jurisdiction to U.S. military courts.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Aviano Air Base for comment.
