Driver Responsible for Deadly Mishap Had Nine Prior Convictions

The driver who caused Saturday's deadly traffic accident in the Galilee had racked up nine previous convictions for traffic offenses in the 4.5 years since he received a driver's license, a police investigation of the accident revealed.

The accident killed four people - three instantly and one who died of his injuries yesterday - and injured another seven, three of them seriously. The responsible driver, a 23-year-old resident of Karmiel, was driving in the wrong lane when he collided head-on with a car coming in the opposite direction.

The driver of the second car, Idit Romish, 30, of Moshav Had-Ness, was killed, and her two infant children were injured. The responsible driver also was injured.

Yesterday, the name of one of the other fatalities was released for publication: Sofia Friedson, a 19-year-old soldier from Karmiel. The names of the other two fatalities, two men from Karmiel aged, respectively, 23 and 27, have not yet been released; of these, the 23-year-old is the one who died of his injuries yesterday. All three of them were passengers in the responsible driver's car.

The responsible driver's previous convictions included driving while intoxicated, driving in the wrong lane and speeding. Police are not yet certain whether he was drunk when Saturday's accident occurred.