Moscow Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee has charged Vitaly Grachov (stage name Vitas) with a crime under article 318 of the RF Criminal Code (use of violence against a representative of a the authority).
According to investigators, on 10 May this year Grachov was driving his car in All-Russia Exhibition Center in Moscow and ran down a cyclist Olga Kholodova. According to eyewitnesses, the driver tried to flee the scene after the incident. Grachov refused to take medical alcohol test. After the incident media started broadcasting a footage showing Grachov kicking one of the policemen and swearing at both of officers.
The investigators analyzed the materials of the criminal case, interviewed witnesses and held face-to-face interviews with Grachov, Kholodova and law-enforcement officers and concluded that actions of the accused did not contain signs of a crime under part 1 of article 119 of the RF Criminal Code (threat to kill or inflict grievous bodily harm). The criminal case into this crime had been opened by inquiry bodies of Moscow Main Office of the Russian Interior Ministry unreasonably and prematurely and accordingly the prosecution of Grachov on this count was dropped. In addition the investigators decided to refuse to launch criminal proceedings over article 319 (abuse of a representative of the authority) in the absence of crime in the act.
During the investigation Grachov pleaded guilty and cooperated with the investigators.
Today the accused and his defender are going to start studying the criminal case and after that the investigating operations will be finished.
Head of Media Relations V. Markin
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