A minivan driver plowed into pedestrians on a sidewalk in Blagoveshchensk, killing three people, including two children . Six people were hospitalized, with three children in a serious condition.
The incident happened on Thursday morning. According to local authorities, the driver was driving the vehicle at a speed of at least 100 km/h in a speed limit of 60 km/h. He lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the group of pedestrians.
"The driver of the minivan is alive and at the scene of the accident with minor injuries. He did not hide," operational services reported to TASS.
The investigation and local law enforcement agencies are working to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident. The press service of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Amur Region informs that an investigative team and forensic experts have arrived at the scene of the incident.
The regional prosecutor's office is also conducting an investigation, with the prosecutor of the Blagoveshchensk region coordinating the work of law enforcement agencies on the ground.
The governor of the Amur region, Vasiliy Orlov, confirmed that the driver was detained with signs of intoxication. A criminal case has been opened.
The mayor of Blagoveshchensk, Oleg Imameev, announced that in addition to the three dead, including two boys aged 14-15 and a woman aged 49, six more people were hospitalized, including three children in serious and very serious condition.
The Ministry of Health of the Amur region specified that four victims are in the regional clinical hospital, one teenager is in the regional children's clinical hospital, and one victim is in the city clinical hospital. Three psychologists are working with the relatives of the victims.
Emergency services earlier reported that seven people were hospitalized.
The man is threatened with up to 15 years in prison.