Driver Who Killed Two in 2019 Crash to Be Released After 11 Months
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Khaled bin Muhammad Mahamid, convicted of causing the deaths of two workers in a 2019 road accident, will be released from prison after serving 11 of his 18-month sentence. The parole board cited his positive behavior and remorse, despite prosecution objections. Mahamid was found guilty of negligent driving when his vehicle collided with a stopped truck, killing two passengers and injuring five others. He will be released with restrictive conditions, including a travel ban.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Khaled bin Muhammad Mahamid will be released after serving 11 months of an 18-month sentence for a fatal 2019 crash.
- The crash killed two workers, Younes Haraz and Sami Yassin, and injured five others.
- Mahamid was convicted of negligent driving after colliding with a stopped truck in the Aluf Sadeh tunnel.
- The parole board cited Mahamid's positive conduct and remorse as reasons for early release.
- The prosecution objected to the early release due to the severity of the offenses.
- Mahamid will be released under restrictive conditions, including a travel ban.
Khaled bin Muhammad Mahamid, who was convicted of causing the deaths of two workers in a fatal 2019 road accident in the Aluf Sadeh tunnel and injuring five others, will be released from prison in a few days after serving only 11 months. The decision was made by the parole board at Tzalamon Prison, headed by retired Judge Ronit B.
Mahamid, 34, from Umm al-Fahm, was found guilty of negligent or reckless driving and was originally sentenced to 18 months in prison. He was working as a transport driver, ferrying workers from northern Israel to construction sites in the center of the country. On December 22, 2019, while driving seven workers to Givatayim, Mahamid veered out of his lane after exiting the Aluf Sadeh tunnel and collided with the back of a truck that was stopped in the rightmost lane with its lights and hazard signals on.
The impact trapped workers Younes Haraz and Sami Yassin under the truck, killing them instantly. The other workers sustained injuries. The indictment noted that conditions were clear and the road was dry at the time of the accident, stating the crash resulted from Mahamid's "serious negligence, recklessness, and inattention," as he failed to adjust his driving to the road conditions and endangered his passengers.
Mahamid's lawyers, Alina and Lior Kersanti, petitioned the parole board for early release, highlighting his positive conduct in prison and low risk to the public. While the police did not oppose the request, the prosecution objected due to the severity of the offense. The lawyers argued that Mahamid had taken full responsibility, expressed deep remorse, and had completed his treatment program. They emphasized his prior record as an excellent and cautious professional driver.
The parole board acknowledged the severity of the offenses but also noted Mahamid's "positive functioning" in prison, his "sincere remorse," and his fulfillment of compensation payments. Concluding that he was "worthy of early release" and would not endanger the public, the board ordered his release under restrictive conditions, including reporting to the police and a travel ban.