The story of the accident victim and his friend who was driving the car: They arrived in Bologna as minors, without their families. Farewell from relatives and friends: “We will miss you, Lali, we will never forget you”
They had arrived in Bologna several years ago, both coming from Albania, their country of origin, without their families.
The two boys, in the Audi, which had been stolen a few days earlier and crashed into a pole on Via Murri after a reckless escape from a police checkpoint, arrived in Italy and then in the city as unaccompanied foreign minors (there are currently about 40 Albanian minors in Bologna), thus entering a community for their age. Then, after reaching adulthood, they left, following different paths.
Car accident during police pursuit
Valjero Maksuti, the 18-year-old passenger who died when his car crashed into a lamppost at the intersection with Via dei Lamponi, had decided to leave the waiting system after turning 18 and was not currently residing in any community.
As soon as they learned the news, many friends and some relatives wanted to remember him, especially on social networks, with messages and photos of moments spent together. "Rest in peace, Lali," as his friends called him, "we will never forget you. You will always be in our hearts," Italian media report.
His previous convictions
According to the investigation, the 18-year-old, who, like the 19-year-old driver, is a legal resident of Italy, had only one previous conviction: he had been reported for stealing a scooter and resisting a public official last year.
Until now, the 19-year-old driver, without a license, had no clean criminal record. He has now been arrested for vehicular homicide and charged with resisting a public officer and receiving stolen goods.
He too, while he was a minor, had been a resident of a youth shelter. Since April 2025, he has been transferred to a facility within the SAI (National Reception System) for adults in Bologna.
At his personal request, he has been provided with a dedicated social worker, a legal advisor, documentation support, and a counselor to assist him in his job search.
His process in the community
The 19-year-old's process in the community was progressing and, according to what has emerged so far, without any particular problems: in adult settings, there are no specific controls and supervision, but access is monitored; in his case, no problems have arisen.
He had also found work in the healthcare food industry for some time.
A handful of gloves, a hammer for breaking windows, and burglary tools were found in the stolen car in which the two young Albanians were traveling and in which they did not stop the Bologna patrol vehicle.
A search was also conducted at the home of the injured and arrested 19-year-old, but nothing of significance was found.