A criminal case has been opened against the driver of the Mercedes sports car, alleging that he violated traffic laws by driving while intoxicated and without a valid license. The charges claim that his negligent actions caused serious bodily harm to others, in violation of part 2 a, c of Article 264 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The authorities have reported this situation to the capital city’s prosecutor’s office, which is now overseeing the case.
The investigation is being conducted under the supervision of the prosecutor’s office. Investigators are examining whether the young man was legally behind the wheel of the high-performance car and whether his conduct might fall under Article 166 of the Criminal Code, which covers theft. The precise legal classification will depend on findings related to vehicle ownership, possible unauthorized use, and any accompanying circumstances surrounding the incident.
The accident occurred in the early hours of September 15 on 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street, a central thoroughfare in Moscow. The driver of the Mercedes lost control of the vehicle, collided with a city lamppost, and then rammed a Skoda Octavia taxi carrying a driver and three passengers. Five people sustained injuries of varying severity and were transported to medical facilities for treatment. One taxi passenger remained in serious condition as the healthcare teams continued to provide urgent care and monitor recovery trajectories.
According to data disseminated through the Telegram channel Shot, which is associated with Andrei Palora, the founder of the Mercedes AMG GT amateur football club FC Panthers, the car now at the center of the case was reported as stolen by Nikita K., a resident of the Kirov region who had previously worked at a car wash. Allegations have emerged that this individual misused vehicles belonging to customers of the car wash on multiple prior occasions without their knowledge, complicating questions of ownership, custody, and responsibility in the wake of the incident.
There is a separate background element under review, related to a prior road incident in which a vehicle connected to Moscow’s political leadership or its administrative apparatus was involved. Investigators are examining whether this previous collision bears any relevance to the current case, including whether it may reveal a pattern of risk factors, potential security concerns, or repeated lapses in vehicle control that could bear on both accountability and preventive measures intended to safeguard Moscow’s streets. The ongoing inquiry emphasizes the need to establish a clear sequence of events, confirm the statuses of all parties, and determine how such circumstances intersect with existing criminal provisions and state protocols for traffic safety and vehicle theft.