DNA matches suspect to deadly hit-and-run incident in Netanya

Samples of DNA taken from the car involved in a hit-and-run that left three women dead match samples taken from the prime suspect, Shushan Baraby, Israel Radio reported on Wednesday.

Baraby, 35, a known crime figure in Netanya, has denied being the driver of the car that hit three women in a crosswalk in the seaside city on August 17.

He had previously served three prison sentences for drug and violence-related offenses.

Police claimed to have a photograph of Baraby driving in the car with second suspect Oren Hanouna, 25, in the passenger seat, en route to the intersection where the accident took place. Police were seeking to extend the remand of both suspects by an additional nine days.

On Tuesday, Yohai Glicksman, who had also been a suspect, was released to house arrest. Glicksman’s attorney Boaz Kenig said the authorities should have released him days ago. “I’m happy [the police] realized he had nothing to do with the accident,” Kenig said.

Police sources said that Glicksman is “no longer a suspect.”

The three victims of the accident were all members of a single family: Alexandra Rubinov, 67, of Netanya, and Svetlana and Shoshana Yegudiev, 56 and 25 respectively, a mother and daughter who were residents of Dimona visiting their relative in Netanya for the weekend.

Police said Glicksman, 26, was a passenger in when car the car hit the women. Glicksman turned himself into the police shortly after the incident claiming to be the driver, but later revoked his statement, saying he was sleeping at home at the time of the accident.

Glicksman’s wife told Army Radio that her husband left their bed in the middle of the night and told her he had to help out a friend. She said she heard Shushan Baraby speaking to him. The next time she saw him, she said, was in the courtroom during his remand hearing.

After a short investigation authorities determined Glickman had tried to take the fall for Baraby, who was found hiding in an industrial building three days after the accident. Police caught him as he tried to escape.