Investigators Demand Arrest Of Driver In Armenian Leader's Cortege For Hitting Woman

Investigators have demanded the arrest of a driver involved in a fatal road traffic accident in Armenia's Yerevan in April, when one of the cars escorting the cortege of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hit a pregnant woman, Raffi Aslanyan, the victim's lawyer, said on Thursday

YEREVAN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th May, 2022) Investigators have demanded the arrest of a driver involved in a fatal road traffic accident in Armenia's Yerevan in April, when one of the cars escorting the cortege of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hit a pregnant woman, Raffi Aslanyan, the victim's lawyer, said on Thursday.

The accident took place on April 26, when Pashinyan's motorcade was driving through Yerevan. The next day, video footage of the fatal accident appeared on social media, showing that a police vehicle hit a pregnant woman, Sona Mnatsakanian, at the intersection of Leo and Paronyan streets. Prime Minister's Deputy Chief of Staff Taron Chakhoyan said that Pashinyan found out that it was his escort car that had caused the accident only after arriving at the Armenian parliament.

"Today, the investigator issued a decree on the involvement of the vehicles' driver escorting the traffic police as being accused under the articles of 'Violation of requirements intended for ensuring road safety, or traffic rules or operation of vehicles' and 'Leaving the site of a traffic accident.' The driver was detained again, and a motion for his arrest was submitted to the court," Aslanyan said on his social media.

The lawyer also said that he represents the interests of the victim's father, adding that the affected party will be consistent in disclosing all the circumstances of the incident and ensuring that those responsible will be brought to justice.