An Italian man is in critical condition after falling from the roof of a moving car while attempting to film a prank for social media. The 23-year-old, who lives in Vallecamonica, suffered a severe head injury during the incident, which occurred early Sunday morning in Esine, in the upper Camonica Valley.
The man had been riding on top of a Fiat Panda with another friend when he lost balance and fell. He had been holding a cellphone to record the stunt, reportedly inspired by risky online trends such as “carsurfing” and “planking.” According to investigators, the Italian man falls from the car roof as the vehicle approached a roundabout at around 6 AM.
Group attempted dangerous stunt after party
The group of six friends, all between 18 and 24 years old, had spent the previous evening at a party in the Bergamo area. Upon returning to the province of Brescia, they decided to carry out the prank.
Four friends sat inside the vehicle, while two climbed onto the roof. One held on to the roof rack for support, while the 23-year-old used both hands to film.
Just before the fall, he shouted a phrase urging the driver to keep going. Seconds later, the video—recorded on the victim’s own phone—shows the moment he loses balance and crashes to the ground. The footage, lasting just over a minute, cuts off after the impact.
Police investigate as victim remains critical
His friends, visibly in shock, called emergency services immediately. A medical helicopter flew the man to a hospital in Brescia, where he underwent emergency surgery. His condition remains life-threatening.
Local police have seized the car and recovered the video footage from the victim’s phone. Investigators have reviewed the clip and are awaiting the results of toxicology and breathalyzer tests. According to early reports, none of the friends appeared to be under the influence at the time of the incident.
Prosecutor Donato Greco from Brescia has opened a case for serious injuries. Charges could be upgraded if the man does not survive. All individuals involved are local residents and students from Vallecamonica.
This case comes shortly after a deadly stunt in Pisa, where two teenagers died in a motorcycle crash while allegedly performing acrobatic maneuvers in a parking lot.
