After running a young woman down at a pedestrian crossing in Bucharest, the Russian driver of the vehicle claimed diplomatic immunity and refused a police request to take a breathalyzer test for drink driving. The accident happened on Sunday (October 21 ), in Southern Bucharest, and the 19 year old student seriously injured in the incident was hospitalized and put in an induced coma. The 34 year man involved is reportedly a member of the Russian diplomatic service in Romania and was driving an embassy vehicle.

Yesterday Ioana Stancu of the Romanian police told the Associated Press that the Russian diplomat is being investigated, but the authorities have so far upheld the man's right to diplomatic immunity from facing charges or being tried in Romania. She also said the Russian refused to take a breath test or provide other samples following the accident. The names of neither the student injured nor the Russian diplomat have been released.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: sxc.hu)