A shepherd from the Negev who let his camels wander free was convicted of causing the death of a driver who collided with one of them on the Be'er Sheva-Dimona highway.
Driving through the Negev region, travelers have long since complained about the herds of wandering camels that often cause accidents, many of which have been deadly.
In 2002, a family of four died when their car collided with a camel standing in the road. One year later, Meir Medlesi from Dimona was driving southward at nighttime when he too suffered a similar fate.
A police inquiry into Medlesi's death traced the camel back to Faraj al-Salalmi, a local shepherd. The State charged him with negligent homicide for failing to supervise his herd and not behaving "in a manner that any reasonable camel owner would under the circumstances."
Al-Salalmi's attorney, Yusef Abu-Quedar, claimed that his client acted exactly like a reasonable owner, the majority of which do not tie up their herd but rather fence in their grazing grounds.
The judge presiding over the case, Jacob Schpesser, rejected Abu-Quedar's argument. "I am not versed in the rearing of camels, but I have no doubt that an animal of this sort must not be allowed to roam free in an area where there is vehicular traffic."
Al-Salalmi eventually pled guilty to the charges, his sentence will be announced at a later date.