Vernarelli had driving license suspended two years ago.
The Italian man who is accused of killing two Irish women, including one from Lisnagry in County Limerick, had his driving license suspended as early as April of 2005, a judge in Rome has revealed.
It is also reported in the Irish examiner that Judge Luisana Figliola revealed that a doctor had verified that Vernarelli had dilated pupils, indicating that he was under the influence of drugs. The accused had originally refused an alcohol and drugs test, but the court had earlier been told that a forced alcohol test revealed that he was four and a half times over the legal limit.
Vernarelli was remanded yesterday to Rome’s Regina Coeli prison following public outrage as a result of his being put under house arrest rather than being remanded in custody immediately following his initial arrest.
After a two hour long court hearing, the Vernarelli family lawyer told reporters, “He and the family certainly didn’t expect all this attention from the media and the public. We’ve been trying to stop him reading the papers and at least inside he will be spared that, but I don’t believe jail is the right place. He is only in jail because the public demands it — not because it is right.”
Vernarelli’s father Roberto is a former police chief and road safety advocate, and the story has created great public interest in Italy’s media. His son now faces a possible twelve year stretch for manslaughter if found guilty.