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“Human Chain” Broken by Drunk Driver in West Georgia, Deadly Results

September 3, 2008

Nana Pazhava, Zugdidi

September 1st, the day of national unity of Georgia ended tragically. The human chain was broken at the village of Rukhi when a fast moving car hit a protester. One man died and several others were severely injured. Doctors failed to save Nata Jichonaia, 23. The drunk driver was Paata Kiria, a police officer.

Nata Jichonaia and the family of Tsipurias had joined the chain action at the village of Rukhi and were walking towards Abkhazia. Witnesses state that the car was traveling from Enguri Bridge to Zugdidi when the driver lost of the car and crashed into the protesters.

“The car accident occurred 5 meters away where I was standing. I saw that the car was driving very fast. I was confused and could not move just like others. I could not make even a step… Suddenly we heard crashing and screeching of wheels. The car hit Khatia Kobalia first, then the Tsipurias and afterwards Nata Jichonaia. She flew into the air and was tossed 8 meters, falling onto a concrete block… Kobalia received minor injuries,” recalls one witness.

The injuries were so serious that Nata Jicholia died. She had many broken bones from the accident and suffered a head injury as well. She started bleeding from ears and mouth immediately after the accident. However, her heart was beating, slowly but still beating. Consequently, there was some home that she would survive. Nata Jichonia died in half an hour after arriving to the hospital.

Gigi Tsipuria, 4 is still in the Intensive Care Department of Zugdidi State Hospital. He had been participating in the chain action together with his parents and little sister. The witnesses say that several minutes earlier the accident, Mrs. Tsipuria had taken her 2-year-old daughter and threw her out of the way. The girl survived but the mother was seriously injured and she was taken to Tbilisi several hours after the accident. Pridon Tsipuria, father is being treated in Zugdidi hospital. He also suffered serious injuries.

The protesters state that Paata Kiria was drunk. He was noticed long before the incident driving towards Enguri Bridge. Some witnesses state that patrol police stopped allegedly drunken driver several minutes before the accident. Kiria received verbal warning only. However, this time he was arrested and a criminal case is opened. 

Patrol police warned several drivers for exceeding speed on September 1st. However, no administrative punishment was imposed on them. It must be noted that peaceful protest in Zugdidi was unorganized from the very beginning. Nobody had taken the responsibility to one control it.

The city had been preparing for the chain action since morning. Many people gathered in Zugdidi Central Avenue. Cars were exceeding speed. Passengers were waiving flags and shouting.

There were many people at Enguri Bridge. Armed Georgian police officers did not allow protesters to come close to Russian militaries. However, this was not a problem for some protesters. They were using foul language against Russians from several meters distance. The protest chain at Rukhi-Chuburkhinji border had the portrait of Georgian president with a black frame in front of the chain…

There was confusion and misunderstanding from the very beginning. The population knew that the protest would start at 3. However, representatives of local government changed the date 4 times.

People holding each other’s hands covered Tbilisi-Senaki-Leselidze Highway at 3 o’clock.  Representatives of local government asked the protesters to postpone the start of action till 3:30, then 4 and then 5. Not all managed to wait for two hours in the Sun. On top of they did not know the reason for delay.

Meanwhile, the flow of cars increased and the chain started to become discontent. The abovementioned car accident occurred at the end of the action, at 5 o’clock…

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