State Prosecutors Appeal Sentence for Driver in Fatal Crash

Israel's State Prosecution has appealed to the Supreme Court to increase the six-year prison sentence handed down to Tarek Kard, who was convicted of causing a fatal car accident that killed mother and daughter Tzipi and Noam Rimel. The prosecution argues that Kard's recklessness was "at the highest level, almost bordering on indifference."

Kard was convicted of two counts of manslaughter by negligence, two counts of causing severe injury, and three counts of causing injury, among other offenses. The district court in Jerusalem sentenced him to six years in prison, a 15-year driving ban, a suspended sentence, and compensation for the victims.

According to the conviction, Kard, a new driver who had recently purchased the vehicle, decided to test its performance by accelerating to approximately 140-145 kph on a road with a 90 kph speed limit. He lost control of the car and crashed into vehicles stopped at a red light, killing Tzipi Rimel and her three-week-old daughter Noam. Efraim Rimel, the father, sustained severe, ongoing injuries, and their son Itai suffered critical injuries requiring multiple surgeries.

The prosecution contends that the sentence does not adequately reflect the severity of Kard's actions and the tragic outcome. They argue his actions were a planned test of the car's capabilities, not a momentary lapse, and that as an inexperienced driver, he knowingly took significant risks. The appeal emphasizes that sentences for such negligent driving incidents, which the prosecution calls a "national plague," must be harsher to act as a deterrent. They are requesting a substantial increase in Kard's prison term.