Last update - 00:00 20/01/2007
70-year-old dies after being hit by car at Karkur junction
By Eli Ashkenazi, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
A 70-year-old pedestrian died on Saturday after being hit by car while crossing on a crosswalk at Karkur junction near Hadera, Israel Radio reported.
The driver of the car has been detained for questioning.
On Friday, a 21-year old Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed in a car accident in Venezuela, Army Radio reported.
According to Army Radio, the soldier, Sergeant Haim Azulai, went to Venezuela on leave from the army in order to visit his parents. The accident is currently being investigated.
Also on Friday, a man was killed, and seven others injured on Friday when a truck crashed into two cars on Route 768, between the Alumot Junction and Poriya Junction, west of Tiberias.
Four of the injured are in serious condition, one in moderate condition, and two others were lightly injured.
All of the injured were evacuated by Magen David Adom to Poriya Hospital in Tiberias. The four in serious condition, including a 6-year-old girl, were later moved to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa.
An initial investigation into the accident by police shows that the truck was driving north after a car. The car allegedly slowed down, apparently because of a parked car on the road.
The truck, which did not keep a distance from the car in front, hit the car, lightly injuring the driver. The truck then deviated from its lane, and crashed into an oncoming car. The driver of the car was killed, and five other passengers were injured. The truck driver was lightly injured.
The road is narrow with two lanes. A few months ago, five people were killed in an accident in the area as well.
However, regional traffic police department head Nabil Isawi said that although the road is narrow, it is paved and well-lit. "The reason for these accidents is wild driving," he said. "There is no justification for this accident. Had the [truck] driver kept his distance, the accident would have been prevented."