Indictment Filed Against Truck Driver Over Fatal Gas Station Strike

The Southern District Attorney’s Office filed an indictment Monday against a 55-year-old truck driver from Haifa for reckless manslaughter in the death of a gas station worker near Nir Banim. The victim, an 81-year-old local resident, was killed in the incident at the station.

Police said the investigation began on June 5 after a report that a truck had hit a station employee. Detectives from the Kiryat Malakhi station and traffic accident investigators in the Lachish district found that shortly before the crash, an argument broke out between the truck driver and the victim inside the convenience store at the gas station.

According to the findings, the two continued arguing outside the store. At one point, the driver got into his vehicle and started driving away, while the victim stood near the truck and spoke with him. During the drive, the truck struck the victim and caused critical injuries. Emergency responders were called to the scene but had to pronounce him dead there.

Police said investigators collected evidence at the scene, took witness statements and examined all circumstances of the case. After the probe was completed, prosecutors said they had gathered enough evidence to charge the driver with reckless manslaughter and additional offenses.