Extraordinary Incident: Ministry of Defense Major Attacks Police Officers, Traffic Police Attempts to Test Sobriety

Today, August 11, an extraordinary incident occurred in Yerevan. At around 01:00 AM, on Myasnikyan Avenue, between the Zoological Garden and the "Arkayazor" restaurant complex, vehicles driven by 30-year-old Hyovik Papikyan from Dati Beki Street and 34-year-old David Grigoryan from Sharuri Street collided. Papikyan was driving a Volkswagen with license plate 51 MT 500, while Grigoryan was behind the wheel of a Toyota Corolla with license plate 99 QQ 919.

According to photojournalist Gagik Shamshyan, there were no reported injuries from the accident initially. Officers from the 4th platoon of the first police battalion of the traffic police arrived at the scene, including Karapet Hovasapyan and Gevorg Avetisyan. They conducted an investigation at the accident site and tried to determine the sobriety levels of the drivers. During this time, driver H. Papikyan approached the traffic officers and requested that his sobriety not be checked, saying, "Let’s handle it ourselves, let it go, don’t check my sobriety." However, the traffic police informed him that this was unacceptable and that he was required to undergo sobriety testing just like driver D. Grigoryan did.

Following this, H. Papikyan argued with the traffic officers, struck one of them in the face, and tore off the left epaulet of the police officer's uniform. Seeing that he was not complying with their legal demands and displaying disrespect towards the police, the traffic officers reported this to the operational management center of the Yerevan traffic police. The responsible officer, Karen Gyulumyan, relayed the information to the Nor Nork police station, which sent an operational group to the scene, eventually detaining H. Papikyan.

According to G. Shamshyan's information, H. Papikyan underwent a sobriety test and was found to be heavily intoxicated. Reports indicate that he serves as a major in military unit N of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia.

Notice: The suspect or accused in the alleged crime is considered innocent until proven guilty according to the procedure established by the criminal procedure code of the Republic of Armenia through a legally binding court decision.

Photos by Gagik Shamshyan