'Utter Disregard for the Law': Eight and a Half Years in Prison for Man Who Drove Under the Influence of Drugs and Caused a Serious Accident
The District Court in Nof HaGalil-Nazareth sentenced Wasim Agbaria to eight and a half years in prison for reckless manslaughter after he drove under the influence of cocaine and caused a fatal accident on Highway 71 in March 2025. Two passengers were killed. Agbaria has 31 prior convictions. He was also given a 15-year license suspension and ordered to pay compensation to the families.
The District Court in Nof HaGalil-Nazareth yesterday (Thursday) sentenced Wasim Agbaria to eight and a half years in actual prison, after he was convicted based on his confession of two counts of reckless manslaughter and additional offenses, for driving under the influence of cocaine and causing a serious accident. According to the amended indictment, in March 2025, Agbaria drove a Jeep on Highway 71 from Afula toward Beit She'an, with a high concentration of cocaine in his blood. Three passengers were in the vehicle with him, none of the Jeep's occupants were wearing seat belts, and the vehicle was uninsured. During the drive, he drove recklessly, approached a Nissan car, and struck its rear. As a result of the collision, both drivers lost control, veered into the opposite lane, hit the safety barriers, and overturned. Agbaria and his three passengers were thrown from the Jeep and tossed into a ditch. One of the Jeep's passengers, Asaf Koma, was killed at the scene; another passenger, Yosef Mahamid, died about three days later. The prosecution emphasized Agbaria's driving record, which includes 31 prior convictions, including two for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Judge Hanna Sabbagh ruled that his driving was "behavior indicating utter disregard for the law and public safety." The court took into account his early confession, acceptance of responsibility, his severe injuries, and the plea agreement. In addition to the prison term, he was given a 15-year license suspension and a suspended sentence, and he was ordered to compensate the victims' families with 75,000 shekels each, plus 25,000 and 10,000 shekels to two additional injured parties.