5-year-old hit in hit-and-run accident, investigation delayed because the driver was on vacation
Uri Gahabardaev was injured while riding his bike near his home in Netanya. His mother, Gal, claims police negligence and helplessness when she attempted to file a complaint.
Five-year-old Uri Gahabardaev was struck in a hit-and-run accident about ten days ago in Netanya. The child suffered pelvic fractures and internal bleeding. The child's mother claims she was forced to conduct her own investigation to secure footage of the accident, as police allegedly waited for the driver to return from vacation before conducting an interrogation.
The mother refused to accept the driver's apology, stating: "He fled and went on vacation." The police responded: "A variety of investigative actions were carried out that led to the identification of the driver, and he has been interrogated."
The incident occurred while Uri was riding his bike on a pedestrian and bicycle path near his home. According to the family, the driver exited a building's parking lot, struck the child, and continued driving without stopping to provide assistance, subsequently leaving for a vacation.
Initially, the child was treated for wounds in the emergency room and released, but two days later he was readmitted due to blood in his urine and other symptoms. "I demanded a CT scan, and that is when several pelvic fractures and internal bleeding were discovered," his mother, Gal, explained. "He was immediately hospitalized. From a completely independent child, he has become one suffering from anxiety and is now entirely dependent on me. He is currently in a wheelchair."
The mother described a sense of helplessness when filing her complaint at the Netanya police station. She claims she was told she could contact the municipality herself to check security cameras. "I sat and waited for the investigator. When my turn came, the investigator simply told me to leave the form and leave without asking a single question about the incident," she added. Consequently, Gal gathered evidence herself by visiting neighbors until she obtained video footage of the impact, which she then submitted to the police.
The family remains outraged that the driver's interrogation was delayed. "When I asked the investigator why it takes a week to interrogate the driver, I was told he was on vacation within the country," Gal said. "They allowed him to go on vacation, and only when he returned would he come for an interrogation. The driver was enjoying his life while my child was suffering in the hospital." After the interrogation, the driver attempted to reach out to the mother to apologize, but she refused.
The Israel Police stated: "Upon receiving the report of this unfortunate accident, the police opened an investigation, during which a variety of investigative actions were carried out, leading to the identification and interrogation of the driver involved. Naturally, it is not possible to elaborate on the details of an ongoing investigation."
