This is not what the Romans do.
A man from Saudi Arabia drove his rented Maserati down the famous Spanish Steps in Rome and was charged with a crime, CNN reported.
Several of the 300-year-old steps were damaged by the 37-year-old man’s disastrous drive late Tuesday night, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
The unidentified man claimed that he simply took a “wrong turn” and ended up on the staircase, Italian media reported. Surveillance video captured the luxury car stopped about halfway down the stairs.
Police tracked the man down through the rented vehicle, according to CNN. He was arrested Friday at Milan’s airport while returning the car.
The man was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage and monuments.
The Spanish Steps are used daily by tourists and Romans, but they’re not meant for cars. A few years ago, a large restoration project was completed on the staircase, which gets its name from a Spanish Embassy at the top.