Alenichev, a 27-year-old former Spartak Moscow football player, struck the Hyundai car with his Lexus sedan on the busy Olimpiisky Prospekt on Monday and quickly left the scene, saying he did not want to wait for the police, Gazeta.ru reported.
The Hyundai driver, identified only as Yelena, said Alenichev threatened her verbally and urged her not to call to the police.
“He started to yell at me, saying that his car is much more expensive than mine. I was shocked by his rudeness,” the woman told Gazeta.ru.
She said Alenichev’s bumper was damaged and that she would seek unspecified damages from the senator, who represents the Omsk region in the Federation Council.
She reported the accident to the police, who in turn summoned Alenichev for an interview that he refused to attend, Gazeta.ru said. Traffic police will seek to inspect Alenichev’s car if he snubs a police summons for a second time, it said.
Alenichev apologized for his actions in a statement distributed by his United Russia party. He said both cars received only minimal damages, but he was ready to cover the cost of repairs. “I would like to offer an apology to this girl for this annoying incident through the media,” he said in the statement.
Senators have immunity from criminal prosecution that can only be revoked by a vote of the Federation Council. They are, however, liable for smaller offenses that result in fines.
Before embarking on a political career in 2007, Alenichev played for Spartak Moscow as well as Italy’s Roma and Portugal’s Portu teams. He publicly clashed with Spartak chief coach Alexander Starkov in 2006 and left football soon afterward.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.