Court issues verdict in fatal car crash involving Pashinyan's motorcade

The Yerevan First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction, presided over by judge Karen Farkhoyan, on Wednesday issued a verdict in the case of Sona Mnatsakanyan, who was fatally struck by a vehicle from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s motorcade in April 2022.

The driver, Aram Navasardyan, was found guilty under Articles 242 and 244 of Armenia’s Criminal Code (violation of traffic safety rules resulting in death through negligence and leaving the scene of an accident). The court upheld the current preventive measure banning him from leaving the country. The specific sentence will be announced at a later date.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Paronyan and Leo Streets in Yerevan on April 26. Navasardyan, the commander of the traffic police escort unit, was driving a Toyota Prado when he hit the 28-year-old pregnant woman from Ararat Province. 

The police SUV did not stop after the crash. Pashinian’s limousine and six other cars making up his convoy also drove past the dying woman. She was rushed to Nairi Medical Center but died shortly after without regaining consciousness.