Update 16:00  Genthod, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Russian media have been carrying stories about the accident Thursday 19 November in Genthod where a Lambhorgini driven by a 22-year-old Russian crashed into a Golf driven by a 70-year-old German, both resident in the Geneva area. The older man is in serious condition in the hospital. The Russian articles and a flood of comments and e-mail received by GenevaLunch are focusing on the likely names of those involved, with children of politicians and rich businessmen heading the top of the list of suspects. The names are openly published in Russia, with one notable family mentioned in the Guardian Tuesday afternoon.

In Switzerland, the Tribune de Geneve/24Heures published a story Tuesday afternoon saying three of those involved left Geneva Sunday on a private jet, thus avoiding having to give evidence to a Geneva judge. (Ed. note: the story cites “our sources” without details and appeared after Russian media reports).

The story is also the subject of continuing investigations by the Tribune de Geneve and 20 Minutes, which carry stories today about possible sources for the expensive cars, pointing out that these are not normally rented to people under age 30. Police have said the drivers of four luxury cars implicated in the accident were young. In addition to the Lambhorgini three other flashy cars were in the area just before the accident: a Porsche Cayenne Turbo, a Mercedes McLaren, a Bugatti Veyron.

The Guardian also carries the story today, citing French Swiss media and Russian media; the story is filed from Moscow. It quotes Dmitry Rogozin, Russian ambassador to Nato, who was interviewed on Vesti-24, a Moscow television station. Rogozin calls the behaviour of Russia’s first generation of newly rich embarrassing. Russian media, for their part, have been mentioning the names of two sons of a very wealthy hotel developer, saying the two have left Switzerland.

Ed. note: Swiss media cannot, under federal privacy protection laws, give the names of people involved in criminal investigations, accused as well as witnesses, with very few exceptions for public figures. This covers victims, suspects, accused and witnesses, as well as people found guilty and sentenced for crimes. Police do not in any event release names: they become available to journalists, but not for publication, only once individuals are charged with crimes.

Links to other sites: Tribune de Geneve (Fre), 20 Minutes (Fre), Guardian, UK, Vesti-24 TV (Rus) and Commersant

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