State Demands Upholding Conviction and Havier Sentence in Adana Hit-and-Run Case
The State Attorney's Office urged the court to maintain Carol Fassler's hit-and-run conviction for the 2023 death of three-year-old Rafael Adana in Netanya, seeking a harsher prison sentence.
The State Attorney's Office announced in the Central District Court in Lod that it insists on upholding the conviction of 82-year-old Carol Fassler for knowing hit-and-run abandonment following the 2023 accident in Netanya that resulted in the death of three-year-old Rafael Adana.
Concurrently, the prosecution requested a significant increase in Fassler's sentence—currently 12 months in prison—and an enhancement of the compensation awarded to the Adana family. During a previous appeal hearing, the court suggested accepting a lesser charge of negligent abandonment, but the prosecution rejected the offer.
Fassler was convicted after a full evidentiary trial for fleeing the scene. According to the verdict, she was aware that she had struck a pedestrian while driving but continued home without stopping, checking the outcome, or calling for help. The tragic accident occurred while Rafael's grandfather was crossing a Netanya street outside a crosswalk with his two grandchildren.
During the initial traffic court proceedings, the prosecution sought a three-year prison term, but the court ultimately sentenced her to 12 months in prison, a 10,000-shekel compensation order, and a permanent license revocation. Both sides appealed, with Fassler contesting both conviction and sentencing, and the prosecution arguing for a harsher penalty.