An IDF soldier was killed on Monday in a car crash after driving his vehicle in the opposite direction of traffic and slamming head on into a lorry while fleeing from police.
The soldier has been identified as 19-year-old Shahar Rubilar from Netanya. According to the police, which is investigating the incident, Rubilar spotted a a traffic police vehicle and attempted to flee, cutting through intersections in the process, running red lights, mounting curbs and striking vehicles at the same time.
The police claim that they pursued the young man for several kilometers and called on him to pull over using their megaphones but that their warnings were not heeded.
Moreover, the police said they warned other drivers in the area of the dangerous driving. One of the drivers who was involved in the crash with Rubilar said that the soldier had stuck his vehicle, which was completely damaged, but that he himself was unharmed.
Rubilar’s parents were informed in the morning of the news. “The family is in shock,” said a relative of the parents. “He was a charming boy who always helped his parents.
His funeral is scheduled to take place on Monday morning at 8:30pm in his home city of Netanya.
The crash occurred at 5:30am after police spotted the vehicle in which Rubilar was travelling on Einstein Street. After instructing him to stop and pull over, the soldier instead accelerated, triggering a car chase that concluded with him striking a vehicle, which caused him to swerve and smash into the truck. He was pronounced dead on the spot. Another truck then hit the truck with which Rubilar collided.
“When we arrived at the scene the sight was very difficult indeed,” said a paramedic. There was a 2- year old who was trapped in a crushed car. He was unconscious and without a pulse and wasn't breathing. He showed no signs of life and we were forced to pronounce his death.”