On 14 August, 2021 at 21:30 a call was received from a citizen informing that the car of “Ford” make, while being prosecuted by the police car, had crashed. As a result, two persons died.

On the same day the police officers of Tumanyan Division of Lori Regional Department of the RA Police submitted reports informing that on 14 August, 2021 they were performing a mobile service near the village of Marts to find and prevent cases of illegal tree felling during which at about 21:00 on the way from the adjoining forest to the village of Marts they noticed a car of “Ford” make without a number plate. They tried to stop the mentioned car to check it however the driver did not obey the policemen’s legal demand to stop the car and drove on.

Exercising the powers prescribed by law the policemen pursued the mentioned car in the car of “UAZ” make continuing to demand to stop the car. In response the driver of the car of “Ford” make drove on fast and on the way from the village of Marts to the village of Lorut, losing control, went out of the traffic part of the road and fell into the gorge.

The policemen tried to help the three men in the car of “Ford” make two of which could not get out of the car, the third one had managed to get out.

In the meantime the residents of adjoining villages and another car of “Zil” make approached the scene, hit the policemen pulling and scolding them and accusing them of what had happened, they also pushed the car of “UAZ” make into the gorge.

The policemen called the police officers of the State Protection Service of Tumanyan division of the RA Police for help. They hurried to the scene in the car of “Vaz 2106” make but the car broke down on the way because of which they got to the scene in another car. Then they returned to the car of “Vaz 2106” make and found it burnt down.

A criminal case was initiated in Tumanyan Investigative Division of Lori Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee according to the Part 1 of the Article 316, the Points 1 and 3 of the Part 2 of the Article 185, the Part 2 of the Article 258 and the Part 3 of the Article 242 of RA Criminal Code.

In the result of urgent measures two of those who had been in the car of “Ford” make and had died of the injuries caused by the crash were identified; one of them was a resident of the village of Marts, the other was a resident of Vanadzor, the third person is not identified yet.

In the result of large-scale investigative and other procedural actions as well as urgent measures taken jointly with the police officers four of those having been involved in the incident were identified. They were arrested and questioned.

Preliminary investigation is underway.

Necessary measures are taken to find out all circumstances of the case, to identify the third person who had been in the car of “Ford” make, as well as other persons possibly involved in the incident, to provide the objective and comprehensive investigation of the case.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.