A high-speed chase ended in tragedy on Saturday evening in the rural area of Tre Cancelli, in the municipality of Nettuno, near Rome.

A 38-year-old Albanian man lost his life after the car he was driving, while fleeing from police, veered off the road and crashed into a telephone pole.

The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. when two police patrols noticed two vehicles traveling at high speed.

The police initiated a pursuit and managed to stop one of the cars, a Fiat 500, which was being driven by a 26-year-old Italian man, who was immediately arrested.

Meanwhile, the second vehicle, driven by the 38-year-old Albanian, turned onto a dirt road, kicking up a thick cloud of dust that temporarily hindered the police chase.

A few minutes later, the car left the road and violently crashed into a telephone pole, overturning.

Nothing could be done for the Albanian driver — he died at the scene. His body was transported to the morgue at Tor Vergata Hospital.

Near the crashed vehicle, police found a bag containing approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine, divided into 23 packages.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the two men were transporting narcotics during the chase.

The 26-year-old Italian has been taken to Velletri prison and is facing charges of drug possession and trafficking in collaboration.

Italian authorities are continuing investigations to fully clarify the circumstances and determine all parties responsible in the case.