Tragic Accident Near Ashtarak's 'Gai Post': Mercedes and Volga Collide, 1 Dead, 3 Injured

Today, on September 17, a major and tragic traffic accident occurred in the Aragatsotn region. Around 4:00 PM, on the Yerevan-Vanadzor highway, near the well-known Ashtarak 'Gai Post', a collision took place between a Volga vehicle with the license plate 35 FC 760 and a Mercedes C 280 with the license plate 77 MG 775, as reported by shamshyan.com.

According to photojournalist Gagik Shamshyan, four individuals with bodily injuries were transported to the Ashtarak Medical Center following the accident. Unfortunately, one of the injured lost consciousness and died on the way to the hospital.

The first responders were employees of the nearby 'Bardiner' restaurant complex, who promptly arrived at the scene. They assisted the victims until the medical personnel arrived and provided first aid on-site.

Members of the traffic police’s 2nd battalion, led by Battalion Commander Vache Malakyan and Platoon Commander Grant Galstyan, also quickly made it to the scene.

According to onlookers, the victims were escorted to the hospital by the traffic police battalion commander V. Malakyan. The incident was reported to the Ashtarak division of the police by Yervand Aleksanyan, the responsible operator at the traffic police's 1-77 operational management center, prompting an operational team to be dispatched to the scene, led by a community police inspector.

Investigative work at the scene was directed by Arthur Khlghatyan, a senior investigator of particularly significant cases at the Aragatsotn Department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia. A criminal case was opened under the second part of Article 242 of the RA Criminal Code regarding the incident.

By the investigator's directive, the vehicles involved have been moved to a secure area maintained by the Ashtarak division of the police. The police and investigative department are working to ascertain the identities of the drivers, the deceased, and the injured parties.

According to the journalist's information, the driver of the Mercedes is believed to be at fault for the accident after reversing and attempting to make a turn without observing safety rules, creating a hazardous situation for the driver of the Volga, which led to the collision. Following the crash, the Volga exited the traffic lane and struck the wall of the 'Bardiner' restaurant complex.