Elderly Man Gets Stuck Driving Mercedes Down Spanish Steps in Rome

An 80-year-old man tried to drive his car down the Spanish Steps, one of Rome’s most famous monuments, early Tuesday morning, according to AP News. 

A bystander’s video recording of the incident shows the compact luxury Mercedes-Benz A Class sedan rolling step-by-step down the stairs, until it gets stuck and others run over to help. No injuries or damage to the 135-step landmark have been reported. 

The elderly driver, a Rome resident, tested negative for alcohol and could not explain how he ended up on the steps, AP News reported. His name was not released, and it is unclear if the car belonged to him. Later on, firefighters removed the vehicle using a crane lift. 

The Spanish Steps were not meant for motor vehicles, though some have tried. According to the New York Times, American tourists caused 25,000 euro in damage to the monument by pushing an electric scooter down the steps in 2022, and a man drove a Maserati down them that same year after taking a wrong turn. 

The Times reported that destroying or damaging property of “significant value” in Rome could result in up to a year in prison and a fine of more than $2,300.