Investigators decide against bringing charges against police chief over road accident

The Hrodna Regional Prosecutor’s Office has concluded an investigation into a road accident involving the region’s traffic police chief and will not institute criminal proceedings in connection with it, Vyachaslau Ihnatsik, a senior aide to the prosecutor, said.   Як

Ihar Smolski knocked down a man at a crossroads while driving near the village of Alekshytsy in March.

The 38-year-old Smolski, who was appointed to the position of the traffic police chief earlier that month, explained that poor visibility had led to the accident.

Ihnatsik said that Smolski will not lose his job over the incident. "The lieutenant colonel will stay in his job. You understand, even if he failed to exercise caution, decisions on dismissals are taken on the basis of the overall record. If an official commits a crime he immediately loses his job. As for minor offenses, not a single law requires immediate dismissal," he explained.  

Ihnatsik said that the person had been on the road talking by phone when the accident occurred. The victim was the driver of a car that had just crashed into the curb nearby.

According to Ihnatsik, an examination conducted by experts found that the police chief could not avoid crashing into the man.

The victim maintained that he had been injured, but not in the accident involving the police chief but in the previous one.

The victim, Syarhey Pichko, confirmed to ERB that he had been injured in the first crash. He added that he was happy that the police chief avoided criminal prosecution.

"I am happy. Why should I cut short his career?" he said.

He refused to explain how he could walk on the road after suffering a fractured ankle in the first accident.