US soldier held in Italy for allegedly killing 15-year-old while driving four times over legal alcohol limit

Local prosecutors are trying to stop the soldier from being transferred back to the US

An American soldier has been placed under house arrest at the Aviano US Air Force Base in northern Italy after she allegedly fatally struck a 15-year-old boy with her car while intoxicated.

The female soldier, who has not been identified but is said to be 20 years old, reportedly hit the teen while he was walking with friends on a pedestrian trail on Sunday morning.

The soldier was not found to have any illegal substances in her system, but was reportedly drunk with more than four times the legal driving limit of alcohol in her system.

According to The Daily Beast, the boy, Giovanni Zanier, was on his way home from a party with his friends around 2.30am. The teens were walking on a bike trail when the soldier lost control of her car when she came speeding around a roundabout and popped over a median. The car then struck the group.

Giovanni was reportedly thrown several feet into the air and died upon impact. None of the other teens were injured, but they said the soldier was driving fast at the time of the accident.

The solider reportedly tried to provide assistance and stayed at the scene until first responders arrived. Local police took her into custody but later released her into the custody of the US Army.

Reports indicate that the bike trail the students were walking on was unlit in an effort for the city to save energy. There is no indication that lighting would have prevent the accident, however, as the car illegally crossed into the bike lane after hopping a median.

Local prosecutors are reportedly trying to ensure the soldier is not sent back to the US for her trial.

In a previous incident a US spy, Anne Sacoolas, hit and killed a 19-year-old who was riding a motorbike. She was driving on the wrong side of the road at the time of the accident. She has since been found criminally responsible for the teen's death but never faced a trial as she was sent back to the US after being handed over by local police.