Police have taken a turn in the investigation into this week’s fatal vehicular accident in the Jordan Valley in which five people were killed. Police are now indicating it appears the driver fell asleep at the wheel and as a result, he will face manslaughter charges. Killed in the accident were the drivers son and four others as they made their way back from Meron on Lag B’Omer.
 
The driver was relatively lightly injured and transported from the scene to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. After recovering from the ordeal, police accident investigators came to question him. Police report he opted to remain silent and did not respond to most of the questions. He did say “I do not remember what took place before the accident. What I do remember is that suddenly, I saw the bus and tried to avoid the crash but was unable to do so”.

Investigators appear increasingly confident with the theory that the driver nodded off. Due to the tragic loss of life that resulted, they are recommending that he face manslaughter charges.
 
“We understand the driver did not sleep the entire night” stated police Shai District Traffic Investigations Chief Doron Yisraeli. Yisraeli adds that while the loss for Dovid is indeed tragic, demanding sensitivity in the investigation, the investigation will not be compromised and it will remain professional, adding “a driver must act responsibly and pull over if he is too tired to continue”.

The levayos for the victims were held on Wednesday, on Har HaZeisim. The atmosphere in the Beis Yisrael home of the drivers family was truly painful, as they mourned their lost son as the wife waits to deliver their next child. She is under medical care, expressing her fears due to the realization her husband will in all likelihood stand trial. She declined offers from family members to take care of the other children, insisting they will remain with her during this difficult period and she will mange.
 
She explained in a choked voice that just this past Shabbos, the children asked to explain “How does the Malach HaMoves (Angel of Death) look? She explained that they tried to explain the concept to the children, but now, they know.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)