Serious incident: Bus carrying fans attacked with stones, driver dies

A tragedy occurred last night on the Rieti-Terni highway: one of the drivers of the bus transporting Pistoia Basket fans died after being hit with stones near Contigliano.

According to initial reports, the bus was leaving the city to return to Tuscany after the Serie A2 match between Rieti and Estra Pistoias, won by the visitors. Shortly after police escort ended, the vehicle was struck by stones and other objects thrown by unknown individuals.

One of the stones hit the second driver, Raffaele Marianella, who was in the passenger seat, and he died immediately. Unfortunately, the 65-year-old passed away despite the emergency team’s intervention.

On board were fans of the Pistoia basketball team returning from the A2 league match held at PalaSojourner against Sebastiani Basket Rieti.

During the game at PalaSojourner, there were tense moments in the stands, with police forced to intervene to separate the fans.

Italian authorities have launched an investigation, and preliminary reports indicate that the unidentified perpetrators were wearing hoods.

In light of the initial reports and pending official judicial investigations, the club expressed shock over the serious incident. The mayor of Pistoia, Alessandro Tomasi, condemned the attack and offered condolences to the victim’s family: "A criminal act, the stone attack on the bus of Pistoia Basket fans after the match against Rieti. We stand with the family of the driver who was killed.

"But how can someone die like this while returning home from a basketball game? The attack carried out tonight near Rieti by criminals who became killers and can never be called fans is shocking. Our condolences to the family of the second driver of the Pistoia fans’ bus, who was shot to death," wrote the Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi on X/Corriere della Sera.

“KORÇA BOOM”