Prosecutor Rams BMW Into Bus Stop

Aug. 10, 2011

A Moscow prosecutor was hospitalized along with five other people after he drove his BMW 525 sedan through a trolleybus stop and into a row of parked cars in the city center early Wednesday, the Investigative Committee said.

The incident involving prosecutor Arseny Lopatkin took place on Zubovsky Bulvar shortly before 1:30 a.m., the committee said on its web site. An inquiry has been opened.

Rescuers had to use special equipment to extract Lopatkin from the BMW, Vesti state television said, adding that he was hospitalized in serious condition.

Other victims include three people who were waiting for the trolleybus, all in moderately serious condition, and two of Lopatkin's colleagues who were in the car with him. The extent of their injuries was unclear.

A medical check showed that Lopatkin was sober during the incident, RIA-Novosti said, citing an unidentified law enforcement official who said the prosecutor lost control of the car.

Who owned the BMW 525, priced at about 2 million rubles ($67,000), remained unclear.

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