Semyon Varlamov awarded $126K by jury in civil lawsuit
A jury in a Denver-area civil trial involving Colorado Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov sided with the netminder over his ex-girlfriend Evgeniya Vavrinyuk.
A jury of three women and four men awarded Varlamov $126,000 in damages.
The lawsuit came from a domestic violence arrest of Varlamov in October of 2013 for kidnapping and assault. Denver prosecutors dismissed the kidnapping charge and then the misdemeanor assault charge because they didn’t believe they could “prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Vavrinyuk filed the civil suit in late October of 2014. She was seeking an “unspecified amount for medical costs and other damages.”
The case has kept the 27-year-old Varlamov out of action since Jan. 23 and included testimony from Colorado coach Patrick Roy, along with other teammates.
According to Vavrinyuk, after a Halloween party, Varlamov kicked her in the chest, causing her to fall backward and hit her head on the nightstand. Varlamov then pinned her down, refusing to allow her to get up
Varlamov had a different story, according to the Denver Post:
Varlamov said she struck him in the face twice and continued accusing him of infidelity. He then grabbed her arms to restrain her and led her into the bedroom, where he “laid her on the bed.” The altercation continued moments later, he said, when Vavrinyuk chased Varlamov around the kitchen and threw two glasses at his head. Varlamov said he attempted to lock himself in another bedroom, but she stuck her leg in the door before he had the chance. He noted that when Vavrinyuk finally calmed down, he locked the bedroom door and didn’t leave until the next morning.
The defense also pointed out that, “the doctors at Denver Health were unable to locate any injuries beyond minor bruising on her hands, legs, and abdominal area as well as some skin removed in the chest area.” She also reportedly had just “minor cuts and scratches.”
Also, there was a recording where Vavrinyuk said she hit Varlamov first.
According to Menninger, via the Post, Vavrinyuk didn’t go to police until she had a signed contract with Denver lawyer Robert Abrams that would have given him 40 percent of a settlement. Also according to Varlamov’s lawyers via the Post, Vavrinyuk, “had telephone conversations with a friend in Russia in which she said she wanted a $1 million payout which she would have to split with the lawyer …”
Varlamov is expected to back up the Avs in their Tuesday game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
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