Drunk-Driving “Mafioso” Lobbyist Roman Janoušek Injures Woman, Flees Crash Scene
Roman Janoušek’s campaign to become the Czech Republic’s most-hated man is off to a flying start.
Two days after telephone transcripts emerged apparently showing then Prague Mayor Pavel Bém asking the lobbyist for his approval of city property deals, Janoušek allegedly fled the scene after injuring a woman while driving drunk.
Described by Blesk as the “biggest Mafioso in Prague” and, in a banner headline, “Mr. Pig” (steady on!), Janoušek reportedly hit a 51-year-old “foreigner of Asian origin” while driving away from the scene of a prang on Vyskočilova street in Prague 4-Michle on Friday afternoon.
According to Blesk, the 43-year-old multi-millionaire had driven his “luxury Porsche” into the back of the Asian woman’s Volvo then hit her as he drove off. The woman suffered multiple injuries and was later taken to Motol hospital.
The tabloid’s coverage of the incident, which took up the first five pages of its Saturday edition, includes a helpful infographic (pictured above), vaguely reminiscent of Taiwan’s wonderful Apple Daily animations.
Police later apprehended Janoušek, whose nicknames include “Voldemort”, on Pujmanové street in Prague 4-Krč, and after interviewing him for several hours, began criminal proceedings against him and released him.
Janoušek’s current whereabouts are unknown, leading Blesk to speculate that his powerful associates — who also include deputy Czech police president Ladislav Husák and Prague’s deputy chief prosecutor Libor Grygárek — could be conspiring to protect him.
For non-Czech speakers, ČeskéNoviny.cz has an English-language account of the incident, albeit one somewhat less colourful than the Blesk account linked to below.
