Popular Russian governor dies in car crash

United Press International
Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005 12:00 a.m. | Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005 12:00 a.m.

A Russian entertainer-turned-politician was killed in a car crash Sunday, the BBC reports.

Mikhail Yevdokimov's car swerved to avoid a car and hit a tree, killing him, his driver and a bodyguard. His wife was injured.

They were en route to a ceremony for cosmonaut German Titov.

Dubbed Russia's Arnold Schwarzenegger, 44-year-old Yevdokimov was a comedian turned governor of his home of Altai, Siberia.

He was elected in 2004 -- his first election -- with nearly 50 percent of the vote, over incumbent Alexander Surikov.