Cephalonia teen faces negligent manslaughter charges after car crash

A young man on the Ionian island of Cephalonia will face a prosecutor on Tuesday to answer to charges of negligent manslaughter after the car he was driving crashed and burst into flames, killing one of his three 17-year-old passengers.

According to reports, the accident took place on Monday afternoon near the seaside village of Lassi on the island’s southwestern coast after the 19-year-old lost control of the vehicle, which was registered in his father’s name. 

Eyewitnesses reportedly told police that the young man was driving well past the speed limit when he lost control of the vehicle, sending the car crashing into a protective wall on the side of the road and bouncing back for a second impact, which appears to have caused the gas tank to explode.

The driver and two of his three passengers were able to escape with minor scrapes and burns, but the third passenger, a 17-year-old identified only as Fabio, was trapped in the backseat and could not get out before the vehicle was enveloped in flames.

The 19-year-old reportedly lives in the United Kingdom and was back in Cephalonia visiting family and friends, including the victim, who was a student at a local vocational training high school along with the other two 17-year-olds.