A serious incident has shaken the road haulage community in Bolzano. In the early hours of Sunday 12 October 2025, a 32-year-old Romanian truck driver, Ionut Marius Cal, was stabbed to death in the municipal car park in Piazza Primo Maggio, in the city’s industrial district. According to local investigative sources, the crime took place shortly before one in the morning, at the end of an argument whose cause is still under investigation.
Police patrols arrived at around 12.45 a.m. after a report of a fight between drivers in the municipal parking area in Via Marie Curie, known locally as “piazzale Fercam” because of its proximity to the headquarters of the transport company of the same name (though the site is not part of it). The victim was found lying on the ground with multiple stab wounds, one of which, inflicted beneath the left armpit, proved fatal. Officers immediately launched a search for the suspect, a 47-year-old Romanian driver who had fled the scene in his lorry.
The investigation, coordinated by public prosecutor Axel Bisignano and conducted by the Bolzano Flying Squad with the support of the Traffic Police, quickly traced the vehicle in flight. The alleged attacker was located at around 3.25 a.m. in the Laimburg motorway rest area on the northbound carriageway of the A22. At the time of his arrest, the man bore traces of blood on his body, and bloodstained clothing was found inside the cab. Taken to police headquarters, he was questioned by the magistrate but exercised his right to remain silent. He was subsequently detained on charges of voluntary manslaughter.
The public prosecutor has requested confirmation of the arrest before the Preliminary Investigations Judge. Investigators have ordered an autopsy on the victim’s body and further examination of the weapon used, along with an analysis of both drivers’ mobile phones and witness interviews from the rest area. Matilde Galli, head of the Bolzano Flying Squad, highlighted the speed of the joint police operation, describing the attack as “sudden” and confirming that the motive is still being examined.
Police sources stressed that the murder did not take place within the private premises of the Fercam company but in the adjoining municipal car park, a location frequently used by lorry drivers for overnight or weekend stops. Fercam itself issued a statement expressing condolences to the victim’s family and calling for stronger safety measures in public parking areas.
The incident has reignited debate about safety conditions in rest areas for heavy goods vehicles, which are often used by drivers in transit or during mandatory breaks. Industry operators have long been calling for improved lighting, enhanced CCTV coverage and greater police presence at night to reduce the risk of violence and theft.
