A German court has approved the extradition to Italy of a truck driver suspected of killing Davide Rebellin in a hit-and-run incident near Vicenza last November 30.

According to Tuttobiciweb, the court in Hamm has agreed to Wolfgang Rieke's extradition request from a judge in Vicenza, although the exact date of his transfer to Italy has not yet been confirmed.

Rieke fled the scene of the fatal accident in Montebello Vicentino after reportedly checking on Rebellin's condition before returning to Germany; the 62-year-old Rieke was quickly located by German authorities, but was not arrested, as this crime is not covered by German criminal law

Lehke was arrested.

An examination of Rieke's lorry revealed damage consistent with a crash and evidence that it had been washed with concentrated detergent. A European arrest warrant was subsequently issued and Leake turned himself in to the police last month.

Leake was detained for four days and then released, although he is still obligated to report to the police weekly. A judge in Vicenza has requested that Leake be held in custody until after his trial in Italy.

Leake has previously been charged with two crimes in Italy: in 2001 he pleaded guilty to a nonfatal hit-and-run in Foggia, but the statute of limitations overturned his sentence, and in 2014 he was charged with drunken driving in Chieti.

Davide Rebellin's tragic death came just weeks after his last race as a professional rider, ending his long career at age 51.