Video shows man getting stuck driving Mercedes down Rome's Spanish Steps
A car hurtling down Rome's famous 18th century Spanish Steps could be a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster — only this version involves an 80-year-old driver, an awkwardly slow-moving Mercedes and a crane hoisting the vehicle out.
Police on patrol in the Italian capital intervened before dawn Tuesday when they spotted a Mercedes A-Class car driven by an 80-year-old man had crashed down the stairs of the famous monument, Rome's local police force said in a Facebook post Tuesday.
Video provided by police shows the car driving slowly on the road, before appearing to take a wrong turn down the 135-step staircase. The car then appears to get stuck halfway down the stairs.
Police also shared a photo of an officer speaking to a man — presumably the driver — next to the stuck car, which had the door open.
Police said they helped the man out of the car and that the man, whom they have not named, tested negative for alcohol. The incident has been referred for investigation, the statement added. The police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Italy's La Stampa newspaper reported that the man was not injured in the incident, while Corriere della Sera reported that the man was in a state of confusion and that an investigation was carried out to see if the staircase had been damaged. Police said the man was a resident of Rome and was unable to explain why he was driving down the steps, the Associated Press reported.
The car was later hoisted out by Italian firefighters, who published an image of a crane carrying out the 'delicate' recovery operation.
The Spanish Steps, known as the Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti in Italian, are one of Rome's most famous sites. Built in the 1720s, they lead from the Piazza di Spagna square to the Trinità dei Monti church, but take their nickname from the nearby Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, according to the AP. They are a popular tourist spot and have been used as a backdrop for several movies, including the 1953 classic 'Roman Holiday.'
However, they've also been subject to a crackdown on boorish behavior, particularly from tourists. In July 2019, Rome officials announced the city would administer fines to those who soil, deface or damage its historic, artistic and monument sites. This included sitting on the Spanish Steps, which could lead to fines from 250 to 400 euros ($290-$460), The Washington Post reported at the time.
In June 2022, two American tourists were fined after damaging the Spanish Steps with electric scooters. A Saudi man was also charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage the same year, accused of driving a rented Maserati down the famous steps, the AP reported.
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