Investigation Concluded into Fatal Accident on Zod Bridge

The investigation into the criminal case regarding the fatal accident that resulted in the death of seven individuals on the Zod Bridge has been completed by the Ararat regional investigative department of the Raider's Investigation Committee of Armenia.

The incident occurred on July 6, 2019, around 3 PM on the Yerevan-Meghri highway in the section of the highway near the Zod Bridge in Ararat. Vehicles involved in the collision included a Toyota Hilux, a Gazelle, and a VAZ-21063. As a result, seven people lost their lives, and four others sustained serious injuries.

The investigation conducted various investigative actions that revealed several circumstances surrounding the accident. It was established that the driver of the Toyota Hilux, a 1956-born resident of Yerevan, violated road safety laws and traffic regulations while driving in the aforementioned area.

Details indicate that the driver of the Toyota Hilux, moving along the Yerevan-Meghri highway toward Yerevan, dangerously maneuvered the vehicle in a way that it encroached into the oncoming lane and created a head-on collision with a Gazelle that was traveling in the opposite direction. This created a hazardous situation, preventing the driver from avoiding the accident.

Subsequently, the VAZ-21063 collided with the rear of the Gazelle, and a fire broke out in the Gazelle's engine compartment due to a gas leak from its system, which spread quickly to the Toyota Hilux and the VAZ-21063, resulting in the deaths of the Gazelle's driver and six passengers, while four others suffered serious injuries.

According to the conclusions of technical and fire expertise, the driver of the Toyota Hilux was found to have acted against traffic safety regulations and caused the accident, thereby infringing on the technical means available for preventing the incident. The expert analysis indicates that the most probable cause of the fire was the ignition of leaked gas from the Gazelle's engine compartment, which could have been triggered by a mechanical or electrical spark.

Based on the gathered evidence, charges have been brought against the driver of the Toyota Hilux under part three of Article 242 of the RA Criminal Code. He has been detained as a preventive measure. The conclusion of the investigation has been announced, and the criminal case has been sent to the prosecutor overseeing the legality of the investigation with a request to confirm the accusatory conclusion and forward it to the court.

Notice: The suspected or accused individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty according to the law as defined in the Armenian Criminal Procedure Code with a legal court ruling.