Unusual neck lesion in a pedestrian caused by a road accident.

The authors describe a road accident that occurred in the Trieste region of Italy in 1998, wherein a pedestrian experienced a mortal injury. During the on-site examination, the forensic officer in charge noticed, in addition to dispersed abrasions, bruises, and fractures, an unusual position of the head with a highly unusual motility of the cervical rachis and, above all, an apparent whitish fibrous elastic cord, 7-8 cm long, which came out of the mouth. The cord was found to be a segment of the spinal cord, expelled and driven into the mouth cavity by the impact.