Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., July 10, 2008 Tamuz 7, 5768 | | Israel Time: 11:38 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 09:44 09/07/2008 Who will be the next victim of a serial traffic offender? By Ofra Edelman Tags: Ilan Gofer, Israel  Israeli radio listeners cannot avoid the public service announcements in which media personality Rafi Ginat booms threateningly, "Driving while suspended - it's forbidden! It's criminal! And it's in your hands!." Anyone caught driving while suspended faces prison, confiscation of the vehicle and long-term license suspension. But to judge by the case of Ilan Gofer, 37, of Kfar Sava, we should all be worried. Gofer is being tried in Kfar Sava Magistrate's Court after being arrested in March for driving while suspended, uninsured and without a license, for impersonation and for interfering with a police officer. But despite Gofer's impressive criminal history, he was released from custody. Advertisement In its request for remand until the end of proceedings, the Central District Police failed to fully indicate the extent to which Gofer is a repeat offender, with numerous prior convictions for driving while suspended. 4-year-old died on impact, a brother the next day In November 1989, a few days after receiving his driver's license, Gofer was driving in Kfar Sava. He approached the crosswalk at the intersection of Katznelson and Sprinzak streets as brothers Omer and Adi Wentsch, aged 4 and 7, were about to cross. Sima Reuveni was in the facing lane, closest to the children, and stopped to let them cross but when they reached the other lane, they were hit by Gofer at a speed of at least 67 kph. Omer was killed on impact, his brother died in hospital the following day. Gofer was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison plus an eight-year suspension of his license. In his ruling the judge said Gofer saw the children walk into the street and did not brake, "causing the death of the two brothers through his criminal negligence." In 1993, the Supreme Court ruled on appeal that Gofer's mental state required examination and monitoring. His license was revoked permanently. In 1996, shortly after parole, Gofer was arrested for driving while his license was suspended and ordered to perform six months' community service. In 1999, Gofer was stopped while driving with a forged license in the name of his brother Yosef. He was sentenced to nine months in prison and one year suspended in a plea bargain. In her ruling, Judge Clara Reginiano declared that Gofer had demonstrated indifference, insensitivity and a lack of comprehension for the catastrophe he had caused to the Wentsch family. Reginiano had been the prosecutor in Gofer's 1989 case but did not recuse herself as a judge seven years later. In 2001, Gofer was again stopped while driving. He and his father Zvi, a former Income Tax Authority department head, claimed that the latter had been driving but their argument was rejected. Gofer's attorney argued that his client was "car crazy," and that his parents had sent him to a therapist over the issue. "I see no way to stop him from driving, especially when he does not take responsibility for his actions and repeatedly attempts, using various trickery and deceit, to evade the law, except to issue a a lengthy custodial sentence," Netanya Traffic Court Judge Shira Ben-Shomo wrote in her judgment. Gofer was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison, two for the most recent offense and one for violation of his parole, as well as a one-year suspended sentence. The conviction was upheld on appeal, and the Supreme Court refused to hear a second appeal. There he goes again In 2004, after being released from a second prison term, Gofer was stopped while driving with a forged license in his brother's name. He was sentenced to 22 months in prison, one year's suspended sentence and a NIS 5,000 fine. In March of this year, Gofer was arrested near his home while driving with forged licenses and an identity card in the name of his brother Yosef, according to police intelligence. "What do you want from me, I'm Yossi," the arresting officer reported that Gofer said. His trial entered the evidentiary stage last week. The judge? Clara Reginiano. The courts spokesman's office issued the following response: "There is nothing to prevent the judge from presiding in the case in light of the considerable number of years that have passed since she was a prosecutor. No request was made by the defendant or his attorney to transfer the case to a different judge." Attorney Haim Kennet, who represented Gofer in two previous cases, claims that "in the State of Israel there is no mechanism for sending a person who is fit to stand trial for psychiatric treatment. When a person understands his actions, he is tried like any other offender." Kennet claims his client became a social outcast as a result of his prison sentence and license revocation, and that his life was ruined over a momentary foolish action. Gofer's current attorney, Aharon Rose, argues that the permanent revocation of his client's driver's license was "not a proportionate punishment." Bookmark to del.icio.us   By the numbers A study shows Jewish Israeli men live almost four years longer than Israeli Arabs. Local threat The Shin Bet arrests two Bedouin, accused of supplying information to al-Qaida.   1.   WELCOME TO ISRAEL, WHERE YOUR RIGHTS ARE RUN OVER! 09:56  |  SPTZ 09/07/08   2.   SERIAL OFFENDER OR SERIAL VICTIM 10:06  |  STEVE 09/07/08   3.   Serial Driving Violator 10:33  |  Mel (M) 09/07/08   4.   Is Katsav looking for a personal assistant? 10:35  |  Clickfool 09/07/08   5.   Jails are full of little religious girls 12:03  |  Binyamin Dissen 09/07/08   6.   I AGREE WITH THE CURRENT ATTORNEY 14:29  |  Jay A Friedman 09/07/08   7.   I thought Israel knows how to deal with terrorists 14:37  |  newageblues 09/07/08   8.   And the worse thing is .... 14:49  |  JW 09/07/08   9.   How about banishment 11:32  |  Dave 10/07/08

Read & React Israel to exhibit plane it says is capable of spying on Iran Responses: 48 Olmert: I can get U.S. to sponsor Israel-Syria talks Responses: 19 IDF kills unarmed Gazan at border, rocking fragile truce Responses: 12 Peres to get hotel in Olympic village so he can keep the Sabbath Responses: 8 Ze'ev Sternhall: It's pricier than ever to exist as a Jewish state Responses: 7 More Headlines 11:27 IDF kills unarmed Gazan at border, rocking fragile truce 11:31 Israel to exhibit plane it says is capable of spying on Iran 08:28 Olmert wants U.S. to sponsor Israel-Syria talks 10:15 Kadima agrees to September primary; Olmert unlikely to run 11:14 Tycoon Abramovich buys world's most expensive house at $500M 10:39 At 3.225 shekels, dollar hits lowest point in 12 years 10:58 Bidding war erupts over Kafka's Tel Aviv legacy 07:37 Police: We'll get tougher with Olmert on corruption probe 08:30 Labor Court upholds ruling that pimps must pay trafficked woman wages due 07:53 2 Bedouin from Negev admit links to Al-Qaida 10:43 Bili'n council head slams proposed route for West Bank fence 04:37 Peres to get hotel in Olympic village so he can keep the Sabbath 04:52 New green party seeks more than just eco-friendly voters 08:17 El Al to up ticket prices by 5% after July 14 Previous Editions Select Day 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun

Special Offers Advertisement Dan Hotels Israel Live the Legend & experience an Unforgettable Summer Vacation Yossi Avrahami Presents: New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury In the heart of Tel-Aviv The Meier on Rothschild tower Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved