Man Convicted of Manslaughter for Drunk Driving Fatality

Yehuda Barda, 37, of Netivot, has been convicted of manslaughter with negligence after driving drunk and fatally striking a 29-year-old scooter rider. The victim died five days after the collision. The court sentenced Barda to six years in prison, rejecting defense arguments. The incident occurred on a well-lit, two-lane street where Barda had clear visibility. His vehicle struck the scooter rider with such force that the victim was thrown onto the car's hood, hit the windshield, and then fell to the ground. Despite efforts by Magen David Adom and Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva to save him, the rider succumbed to his injuries five days later. Barda himself sustained minor injuries. Police investigators requested a blood sample to test for alcohol, but Barda refused. The court found that Barda was aware he was intoxicated and driving, a fact supported by police officers who detected an alcohol odor at the scene, overriding testimony from Barda's colleagues who claimed not to notice any signs of intoxication. The judge noted that Barda's failure to notice the scooter rider for several seconds was consistent with alcohol impairment, and his refusal to undergo a blood test established a conclusive presumption of drunk driving. The court convicted him of drunk driving and causing death by negligence, stating that Barda knowingly took an unreasonable risk. Barda's attorneys requested a 45-day delay before he begins his prison sentence to allow him to prepare and to consider an appeal, a request the judge granted.