North Israel Driver Flees Police, Crashes Into Guardrail, and Faces Serious Charges

A 27-year-old from Kafr Kanna, Yasser Awada, has been indicted in the Nof HaGalil Traffic Court for a series of dangerous traffic offenses after allegedly fleeing police, crashing his car, and then trying to run on foot. Police say he was under house arrest and driving disqualified, without valid insurance or a valid license, when the incident took place.

According to the indictment filed by the Israel Police prosecution, the events happened in the night between June 8 and 9, around 3 a.m. Awada was driving a Mazda 3 when he spotted a Border Police vehicle. Instead of stopping, he reportedly drove recklessly, crossed into the opposite lane and ignored a policewoman’s flashing lights and loudspeaker instructions to pull over.

The chase ended when he lost control and slammed hard into a guardrail. The impact deployed the Mazda’s airbags and ripped out a nearby road sign and the guardrail itself. Even after the crash, Awada allegedly abandoned the wrecked car and fled on foot, until the policewoman chased him down and arrested him by force.

Police said a strong smell of drugs came from the vehicle. Awada allegedly failed field sobriety and balance tests and then refused to provide a urine sample, which investigators say can support a drunken-driving or drug-impaired-driving charge. Officers also found that his license had expired in February 2026 and that he was driving without valid insurance. The prosecution plans to seek his detention until the end of proceedings.