Drink driver denies he knocked down Irish tourists

An Italian man who is accused of killing two Irish tourists, one a Limerick woman has said in court he was not driving the car which ran them down.

The trial is continuing of 32 year old Friedrich Vernarelli, who is charged with knocking down the two women, 29-year-old Mary Clare Collins from Kildare and 27-year-old Elizabeth Gubbins from Limerick at a pedestrian crossing near the Vatican on St Patrick’s night of this year.

(The scene of the accident in rome this year- Photo: independent.ie)

The defendant said he had gained some of his memory of the incident and insists he was not behind the wheel when the accident happened.

Investigating judges are said to have rejected his version of events.Mr Vernarelli, who the son of top Italian politician Roberto Vernarelli, a former Mayor and police chief, has already been convicted of two motor offences in the past.

Roberto Vernarelli said his son was a "good boy" who didn’t take a drink.