The Kyrinsky District Court of the Trans-Baikal Territory reversed the magistrate’s ruling that had held a local resident, Vasily Somov, liable for a drunken driving violation. The case revealed that Somov was the victim of mistaken identity, with his brother Denis being the actual person caught by the traffic police while intoxicated. This development was confirmed by the court’s press service.
Somov only became aware of the administrative penalty when he received a notice detailing a 30,000 ruble fine and the loss of his driver’s license for one and a half years. He had already reviewed the case materials and realized that the person shown in the video report was his brother, with whom he had not had any contact for a long time.
Further investigation uncovered that there was no official document tying Somov to the drunk driver apprehended by the traffic police. Instead, the report relied on statements supplied by the person who claimed to be the driver. The individual provided the traffic police with Denis Somov’s personal information, including his phone number, workplace, and position.
During verification of identity in the traffic police’s information system, the officer noted similarities, and Denis Somov explained that weight changes after a divorce had altered his appearance, which contributed to the confusion. The court’s press service noted these factors as pivotal in reassessing the case.
Ultimately, the district court overturned the magistrate’s decision, absolving Vasily Somov of administrative responsibility for the alleged offense.
In a separate but somewhat related incident in Efremov, Tula region, a man was found with a fuel card and subsequently sold it after it was used to haul 17 thousand liters of fuel. This additional anecdote underscores how misidentifications and dubious documents can lead to serious consequences, prompting calls for careful verification in administrative cases.