Teen Injured in Protest Car-Ramming Arrives by Ambulance to File Complaint; Police Say He Was “Summoned for Questioning”

A 16-year-old boy who was run over during Monday’s protest by the Peleg Yerushalmi faction was forced to arrive by ambulance at the police station on Wednesday evening in order to provide testimony, according to a report by Army Radio correspondent Tuvia Yeglnik.

Police stated that the injured teen had been summoned for coordinated questioning on suspicion of disorderly conduct and that his arrival was arranged together with his parents. His family sharply disputes that claim, insisting that they spent the past two days pleading with police to come take his statement, with no response. They say police refused to collect testimony at the hospital and only afterward informed them that the teen would be questioned for alleged disorderly behavior.

The incident stems from Monday’s demonstration near the Geha Interchange, where a 24-year-old driver from Bnei Brak was arrested after allegedly accelerating into the crowd and striking the teen.

On Tuesday, the driver was released to house arrest after the court noted that no formal complaint had yet been filed and no testimony was taken from the victim or other witnesses. The judge rejected the police request to extend the suspect’s detention by six days and ordered his release until December 14. During the hearing, police said the driver had “lost patience” in the traffic jam created by the protest.

In his interrogation, the suspect admitted being involved in the incident but maintained that he drove cautiously. “I didn’t notice that I hit anyone, and only later did I realize there had been contact,” he said.

Medical officials reported that the teen suffered injuries to his abdomen, pelvis, and limbs, and was evacuated in moderate condition to Schneider Children’s Medical Center. Police say that at this stage it remains unclear whether the ramming was intentional.

{Matzav.com}