A 29-year-old man has reportedly confessed to killing a 58-year-old driver in the Neos Kosmos district of south-central Athens during a “road rage” incident, police reported. CCTV footage from stores and residences show both the initial altercation, between the motorcycle-riding perpetrator and the car driver, as well as a subsequent chase that led to the fatal assault.
According to authorities, the suspect claimed he acted alone, prompting the release of three other individuals initially detained. Investigations continue regarding a fourth person whose motorcycle was used in the incident and the suspect’s father, who allegedly attempted to conceal the vehicle.
An autopsy revealed that the victim suffered multiple blows to the face and head before crashing his vehicle into another parked car. He was initially treated at the scene before being rushed by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he died from a cardiac arrest. Medical examiners noted pulmonary edema and heart hypertrophy, with the trauma from the assault considered a critical factor in the fatal cardiovascular event.
The suspect, identified as an Albanian national who has been involved in previous road rage incidents, told police that the incident began when the victim allegedly blocked his motorcycle in front of a gym. An argument escalated, and the suspect pursued the driver through nearby streets before striking him once. He then claimed he briefly entered the gym only to be confronted by the victim when he returned outside, who allegedly pepper-sprayed him, leading to another chase and the fatal confrontation.
Authorities said the 29-year-old suspect was involved in a prior violent attack using a knife, in an attempt to slash three drivers in the same district.
