Drunk driver who ran over 13-year-old gets 12 year prison sentence

The Tel Aviv District Court on Tuesday sentenced Eli Bar Zakai to 12 years in prison for running over and killing Ilon Shilo Amsalem, 13, in July 2018, The Jerusalem Post's sister publication Maariv reported. Bar Zakai was convicted of reckless homicide. He will be banned from receiving a driver's license for 20 years and will need to pay compensation to Amsalem's family. “A series of decisions disparaging human life led to the most severe result,” Judge Benny Sagi said, according to Maariv. “Ilon will always remain 13 years old. He will not raise a family and will no longer spend time with his family.” “In fact, from the moment of the accident, he only thought about evading justice,” he said. “He didn't take part in the searches, did not bother on his own initiative to call any medical agent, and the defendant was not incapable of functioning. All his resources were devoted to making phone calls, drinking water and failing a sobriety test.” “The thread of [Amsalem's] life was cut short in the most tragic way imaginable, just because the defendant decided that he 'must' drink, 'must' hang out, 'must' get behind the wheel and 'must' drive wildly, as if arriving at the Shalvata club within a few minutes with his vehicle was a vital and urgent need that should not be postponed,” Sagi said.

Drunk driver who ran over 13-year-old gets 12 year prison sentence

Bar Zakai will also be banned from receiving a driver's license for 20 years and will need to pay compensation to Amsalem's family.

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Drunk driver who ran over 13-year-old gets 12 year prison sentence

Bar Zakai will also be banned from receiving a driver's license for 20 years and will need to pay compensation to Amsalem's family.

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