Cagliari, 23 June (LaPresse) – One year’s imprisonment, suspended, and a two-year driving ban: this is the plea bargain agreed by Vivian Spohr, the German executive and wife of Lufthansa’s chief executive, who was charged with causing death by dangerous driving following the death of Gaia Costa, the 24-year-old from Tempio Pausania who was struck and killed on 8 July 2025 whilst crossing at a pedestrian crossing in the centre of Porto Cervo. The decision was reached at the conclusion of proceedings before Investigating Judge Marcella Pinna, based on an agreement reached between the defence and the Tempio Public Prosecutor’s Office, which in recent months had closed the investigation by placing the woman on the list of persons under investigation. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s reconstruction of events, the tragedy occurred shortly before 1.00 pm near the junction with Via della Goletta. Spohr was driving a BMW SUV when she struck the young woman, who died as a result of the impact. The technical report reportedly revealed that the accident was caused by the driver’s severe distraction; she had failed to notice the young woman crossing the road, even though she was not using her mobile phone at that precise moment, as had initially been assumed. Investigations also revealed that driving conditions were favourable, with adequate visibility, clear weather and a dry road surface. Gaia Costa was on her way to work; she was on the road to reach one of the holiday homes in the prestigious Costa Smeralda resort where she worked as a babysitter: despite immediate medical assistance, there was nothing that could be done to save her.
Porto Cervo: 24-year-old woman struck and killed; German manager agrees to a one-year sentence
Cagliari, 23 June (LaPresse) – One year’s imprisonment, suspended, and a two-year driving ban: this is the plea bargain agreed by Vivian Spohr, the German executive and wife of Lufthansa’s chief executive, who was charged with causing death by dangerous driving following the death of Gaia Costa, the 24-year-old from Tempio Pausania who was struck and killed on 8 July 2025 whilst crossing at a pedestrian crossing in the centre of Porto Cervo. The decision was reached at the conclusion of proceedings before Investigating Judge Marcella Pinna, based on an agreement reached between the defence and the Tempio Public Prosecutor’s Office, which in recent months had closed the investigation by placing the woman on the list of persons under investigation. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s reconstruction of events, the tragedy occurred shortly before 1.00 pm near the junction with Via della Goletta. Spohr was driving a BMW SUV when she struck the young woman, who died as a result of the impact. The technical report reportedly revealed that the accident was caused by the driver’s severe distraction; she had failed to notice the young woman crossing the road, even though she was not using her mobile phone at that precise moment, as had initially been assumed. Investigations also revealed that driving conditions were favourable, with adequate visibility, clear weather and a dry road surface. Gaia Costa was on her way to work; she was on the road to reach one of the holiday homes in the prestigious Costa Smeralda resort where she worked as a babysitter: despite immediate medical assistance, there was nothing that could be done to save her.
