Woman, 70, killed in Jerusalem hit-and-run; driver flees

A 70-year-old chareidi woman was killed Sunday in a hit-and-run accident in Jerusalem's Rechavia neighborhood. According to witnesses at the scene, the truck driver fled after striking the pedestrian.

The woman was hit by a truck at the intersection of Rashba and Ramban streets. Emergency medical teams who arrived pronounced her dead at the scene.

United Hatzalah's Jerusalem district reported that the pedestrian was struck by the truck near the intersection. Chaim Mizrachi, Yehoshua Dessler, and Elimelech Philips, United Hatzalah medics who responded, said: "According to passersby, she was struck by a truck. After resuscitation efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene due to the severe nature of her injuries."

Emergency responders at the scene said the truck that allegedly carried out the hit-and-run was not found at the location, raising concerns that the driver responsible for the fatal accident had fled.ZAKA reported: "Jerusalem, Ramban Street at Rashba, fatal traffic accident. A 70-year-old female pedestrian was struck by a truck and killed. Being treated by ZAKA Jerusalem district team."

The scene of the accident (Photo: Zedek Rescue)

Police spokesperson: "Jerusalem district officers were called a short time ago to the scene of a fatal traffic accident in the Rechavia neighborhood of Jerusalem, apparently involving a truck and a pedestrian according to reports received. Medical forces who arrived at the scene performed resuscitation on the injured pedestrian but were forced to pronounce her dead."

Zedek Rescue volunteer Chaki Har Kesef added: "When I arrived at the scene I saw a pedestrian, a woman about 70 years old, lying on the road unconscious without a pulse and not breathing with multi-system trauma after being struck by a truck. Together with additional MDA medics and paramedics, we immediately began performing advanced resuscitation including chest compressions and ventilation, but unfortunately, due to the severe injuries she suffered, MDA paramedics were forced to pronounce her dead at the scene."

Regarding the claim that this was a hit-and-run, the police spokesperson said: "Jerusalem district traffic accident investigators are on their way to the scene to investigate the circumstances of the incident, while officers conduct extensive searches to locate the offending driver."

The fatal accident joins a series of serious traffic incidents that have occurred in recent days across the country. Several days ago, a 90-year-old woman was killed in a fatal traffic accident on Route 3525 near Beror Chayil, also struck by a truck.

Last week, a fatal hit-and-run occurred in Kiryat Ata, when a 50-year-old pedestrian was killed after being struck by a truck on Jabotinsky Street. The driver fled the scene, and police opened an extensive investigation.

Israel Traffic Police investigators from Rechavia are investigating.