Charges pressed over PM car crash

RIGA - Charges have been pressed against both drivers involved in a accident earlier this year that resulted in severe head damage to Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis.

The Riga City Motor Transport Prosecutor's Office charged both the driver of the prime minister's car and the driver of a passengerminibus with traffic violations resulting in serious bodily injuries. The charge can fetch upto 10 years in jail and subsequent suspension of the driving license forthe period up to five years.

The defendants have not been taken into custody pending the trial.

Kristine Apse-Krumina, an aide to the Security Police chief, told the Baltic News Service thatan internal investigation was conducted after the accident involving thepremier's car. The circumstances of the accident were analyzed andmeasures taken to improve training of the Security Police officersresponsible for security of the top state officials.

The rules regarding escorting of the prime minister have been updated incooperation with the Interior Ministry, she said.

The Security Police officer, who had been driving the premier's car at thetime of the accident, had been given another assignment, said the SecurityPolice spokeswoman but declined to say whether the man's new duties alsoincluded driving of a car.

On June 18 this year a minibus with 17 passengers collided with theLatvian prime minister's car that had entered the intersection on the redlight but with sirens and roof lights on. The prime minister sustained ahead injury, and a female passenger of the minibus was injured in the legbut nobody else was injured in the accident, even though there was also abodyguard and the head of the prime minister's office in the premier'scar.

The premier suffered fracture of the temporal bone and a concussion in theaccident.

Under the Latvian rules, special vehicles can breach traffic rules buthave to make all efforts to guarantee traffic safety.