State Appeals for Harsher Sentence in Fatal Crash Killing Mother and Baby

Israel's State Prosecutor's Office has appealed to the Supreme Court for a significantly harsher sentence for Tarek Kard, who was convicted of causing a fatal car accident that killed a mother and her infant daughter. Kard was sentenced to six years in prison for the deaths of Tzipi Rimel and her three-week-old daughter, Noam, and severe injuries to other family members.

According to the ruling, Kard, a new driver, had purchased a car days before the incident and decided to take it for a "test drive" on a road with a speed limit of 90 km/h. He accelerated to approximately 140-145 km/h, lost control, and crashed into several vehicles stopped at a red light. Tzipi and Noam died instantly, while the father, Efraim Rimel, sustained severe, ongoing injuries requiring multiple surgeries. Their son, Itai, was critically injured and also underwent extensive medical procedures.

Kard was convicted of two counts of manslaughter by negligence, two counts of causing severe bodily harm, three counts of causing injury, speeding, causing damage, and driving without insurance. The Jerusalem District Court sentenced him to six years imprisonment, a 15-year driving ban, a suspended sentence, and compensation for the victims.

The prosecution's appeal, filed by attorney Shani Fogoda, argues that Kard's negligence was extreme, bordering on indifference. They emphasize that his actions were not a momentary lapse but a deliberate decision to test the car's performance at high speed as an inexperienced driver, posing a massive risk. The appeal contends that the original sentence does not adequately reflect the devastation caused to the family and that harsher penalties are necessary to combat the widespread problem of negligent driving in Israel.

The prosecution is seeking a substantial increase in Kard's sentence to serve as a deterrent.