Driver Accused in Deadly Hadera Hit-and-Run Placed Under House Arrest

A court in Hadera has ordered that a young man from Kafr Manda, identified as Samhat, remain under house arrest until October 1, following a hearing on the circumstances of a fatal hit-and-run incident. The judge cited investigation materials and Samhat's account that he was attempting to flee a pursuing crowd and feared for his life.

Samhat reportedly told investigators he did not realize he had struck anyone while trying to escape the group. The court considered this a significant factor, stating that at this stage, charges of fleeing the scene cannot be applied. The judge also indicated that evidence does not suggest the act was intentional, classifying it at most as negligence, and even then, not of a high degree.

The court noted that the investigation materials place responsibility for the tragic outcome on the individuals who pursued Samhat, while not ruling out partial responsibility on Samhat's part. "It is quite clear that those responsible for the tragic outcome are those individuals who chased him, not him, even if he bears partial responsibility, which will become clear later," the judge stated.

These observations are based on the evidence presented during this phase of the investigation and do not represent a final determination of responsibility or legal consequences. The Hadera Magistrate's Court released Samhat from custody, imposing house arrest until October 1.

The incident occurred last week at "Canyon Village" in Hadera, resulting in the death of 17-year-old Amihai Attia, who was struck by the car driven by Samhat. The court's decision to release Samhat was influenced by its assessment of the incident's nature, Samhat's claim of fleeing a mob, and its preliminary evaluation of the investigation's findings regarding responsibility.