The driver of a? snowplow involved in the plane crash that killed the chief executive of French oil major Total denies he is guilty and relatives say he never drinks, his lawyer said Tuesday.
Russia's Investigative Committee said Vladimir Martynenko was in a condition of alcoholic intoxication when the snowplow he was driving collided with the private jet carrying Christophe de Margerie.
"He (Martynenko) is in shock. He considers himself guiltless as he followed all the instructions from the dispatcher," lawyer Alexander Karabanov said.
He said his client would appeal against what the lawyer called the official version that Martynenko "was in a condition of alcoholic intoxication."
"According to his relatives, he was sober in the morning and he doesn't drink at all due to chronic heart disease. Relatives are afraid that the airport authorities are just trying to make him ultimately responsible to avoid billions in lawsuits which are for sure to follow," Karabanov said.