Cattolica: Man detained for attempted murder after driving car into harbor with wife

An Albanian man, identified as Ismail Picari, has been detained on suspicion of attempted murder after driving his vehicle into the harbor in Cattolica, Italy, with his wife still inside. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon after the man allegedly lured his wife into the car under the pretext of going grocery shopping.

According to investigators, the man accelerated toward the sea, striking a pole before the Volkswagen Golf plunged into approximately three meters of water. While the man exited the vehicle first, his 44-year-old wife became trapped and had to escape through the rear window. Bystanders and fishermen jumped into the water to rescue the couple using a rope from the pier. The woman was taken to a hospital in Pesaro for medical evaluation.

Following the rescue, Picari fled the scene on foot through a rocky area. He was located by Carabinieri in a wooded area near his home in San Giovanni in Marignano later that evening. The investigation highlights a history of domestic tension; the couple had been involved in a dispute the previous night that resulted in Picari’s arrest for resisting public officials. Investigators believe the car plunge was a deliberate act of revenge.