In this image taken from video provided by Viktoria Geranovich, a taxi driver, right, runs away from the scene after he crashed his taxi into pedestrians on a sidewalk near Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, June 16, 2018. Eight people, including two from Mexico, were injured in the crash. Video circulated on Russian social media and some news websites showed the taxi approaching a stopped line of cars, then veering onto the sidewalk and striking pedestrians. It then hit a traffic sign and bystanders tried to wrestle the driver out of the taxi, but he broke their grip and ran away; it was not clear how he was finally detained. (Viktoria Geranovich via AP)
MOSCOW — Moscow police are investigating a taxi crash that injured eight people, including two Mexican World Cup fans, when the driver plowed into pedestrians on a sidewalk near Red Square.
City police released a video Sunday of an interrogation session with the Kyrgyz driver, in which he says he briefly fell asleep at the wheel and accidentally hit the gas. It was unclear whether the driver spoke under duress.
Moscow police would not comment on whether the crash would affect security measures for the World Cup, which is being held in 11 Russian cities over the next month. Among security concerns has been the use of vehicles as weapons.
The Mexican Embassy told The Associated Press the two injured female fans were not hospitalized. Details on other victims weren’t immediately released.