Prosecutors: Driver in deadly crash used cocaine, pot, alcohol
Yaron Bracha charged with murdering 6 people, including his twin; prosecutors: Bracha was 3 times over alcohol limit.
By Roni Singer-HerutiThe driver who last week ran a red light at high speed and caused a crash near Lod that killed six people, one of them his twin brother, was under the influence of cocaine and marijuana, and was three times over the legal alcohol limit at the time, prosecutors said Tuesday.
The driver, Yaron Bracha, was the only survivor of the crash five days ago. He remains hospitalized in serious condition, and under a formal state of house arrest.
Bracha was indicted for six counts of manslaughter in the Tel Aviv District Court on Tuesday. He was also charged with drug use violations.
According to the indictment, the concentration of alcohol in Bracha's blood after the accident was recorded as 158 mg per liter, while the allowed level for driving is 50 mg.
The indictment states that the crash occurred when Bracha, driving at high speed, drove through a red light to enter the Ginaton intersection, hitting a Hyundai car containing five Egged employees. All five were killed, as well as Bracha's brother, Eyal, who was in the car with him.
"It was shocking. It looked like a war zone," said Yonatan Keinan, a Magen David Adom paramedic who witnessed the accident. "I've been working for MDA for six years; I've dealt with innumerable accidents. But I can't remember another accident this shocking."
Bracha was allegedly driving at least 171 kilometers per hour in an area with a speed limit of 90 kilometers per hour.
The five victims in the other car were named as driver Yitzhak Cohen, 42, of Ashdod, and Ashkelon residents Moshe Ben-Gigi, 44; Aharon Benishi, 55; Michael Kashpur, 28; and Yona David, 51.
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Yaron Bracha (left) and his twin brother Eyal. (Reproduction / Motti Kimche) |
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His brother is NOT a victim . He was sitting in a car driven by his brother . Why did'nt he tell him to slow down ? or not to drive because he was drunken and under drugs influence . So he was also guilty . When a terrorist blows himself up , you don't say he is a victim .
The drugs gave him a high and wonderful feeling for a few hours. The results of his reckless behaviour on the road will give him nightmares for the rest of his life. He will wish he had died together with his twin and the other 5 innocent victims. He has destroyed the lives of 6 families, 5 Egged families and his own family. How can he ever face anyone again after this disaster?
Please Israel, have you heard of the alco-locks in new cars, which "smell" the alcohol and make it impossible to start the engine. In some European countries an alco-lock will be a COMPULSORY accessory in new cars in a year or two. Hopefully technology will soon advance to something similar to detect drugs as well! I hope this lethal driver had his driving-license suspended for the rest of his life!
Read my lips: This killer will be served a two years sentence maximum and be out on the streets again after one year. He will also get his license suspended for a few years, but who cares, he will drive anyway and spit in the face of the public. Our courts are unwilling to protect us by establishing a sufficiently harsh response to terrible crimes like this.
How about sympathy for his victims?
This guy must be sorrow he is alive. I cant stop thinking what he has to says to his parents or what his friends are thinking about letting them drive this way. Must of us, think we are supermans until something happens. By the way, it would be nice to have stricter regulation to all the small motorcycles (tus-tus)that dont respect anything.