Driver Sentenced to Six Years for Fatal 2019 Crash Killing Mother and Infant in Israel

The Jerusalem District Court sentenced Tarek Karad to six years in prison for causing a fatal car accident on Road 45 in 2019 that killed Zipora (Tzipi) Rimel and her infant daughter Noam Rachel Rimel. Karad was convicted of negligent homicide after driving at approximately 140 to 145 km/h during a test drive and colliding with the Rimel family vehicle. The crash also left another child in the family critically injured and the father, Ephraim Rimel, moderately to severely wounded.

The prosecution had demanded a 15-year sentence, arguing Karad bore full responsibility due to excessive speed and failure to brake before impact, emphasizing the need for deterrence. Karad's defense requested a sentence of nine months of community service. The court rejected claims that a technical vehicle failure caused the accident. Karad was also charged with serious injury and driving without valid insurance, offenses carrying up to 12 years imprisonment combined.

Zipora Rimel was 35 years old at the time of the accident, and her daughter Noam Rachel was only about three weeks old. Ephraim Rimel, speaking from his hospital bed, described his shock upon learning of the accident and his wife’s death. The Rimel family protested the sentence, calling for a harsher penalty.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about road safety and accountability in Israel, with the court’s ruling setting a precedent for sentencing in fatal traffic incidents involving negligent driving.