A lane change, followed by a violent head-on impact on the municipal road leading from Gonnosnò to the Giara. The other driver was not held responsible for the crash on February 17, 2022, which proved fatal for Francesco Melis (he died in the hospital a few days after the accident). And the Oristano Court fully acquitted Gian Marco Cossu, 49, of Gonnosnò, of the charge of vehicular homicide, "because the facts were not proven."
Judge Cristiana Argiolas's ruling concludes a lengthy legal case in which various expert reports played a key role. According to the Carabinieri and the prosecutor's consultant Lorenzo Cosseddu, the driver who crossed the lane was Cossu, driving a truck headed toward town. This led to the 49-year-old's trial on the serious charge of vehicular homicide, but during the trial the situation was overturned.
The defense attorney, Maurizio Piras of the Cagliari Bar Association, relied on expert Roberto Tuveri, who analyzed the dynamics and circumstances of the crash. A key fact immediately emerged: the road was completely devoid of lane markings, so to determine who had crossed into the lane, it was essential to measure the lane and divide it in half. Various investigations revealed that it was the Suzuki SJ driven by Melis that had crashed the wrong way just as the other car was approaching.
Based on these elements, the judge acquitted Gian Marco Cossu: no responsibility in that dramatic crash.
