Medical graduate accused of wild police chase and ramming patrol car

A 29-year-old medical graduate from Rahat has been indicted following a high-speed police chase on Route 77 in northern Israel and a collision with a patrol vehicle. According to police, the incident occurred on August 10 when officers attempted to pull the driver over for a traffic violation near the Beit Rimon Interchange. The driver allegedly accelerated, leading to a pursuit during which officers fired at the vehicle's tires before it was stopped by a police blockade. During the investigation, police recovered an M16 rifle, which they stated matched components found inside the suspect's vehicle. The weapon was initially discovered after a civilian reported running over a bag on the road that became lodged under her car. Prosecutors have requested that the suspect remain in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings. Northern District police noted that they have seized over 610 illegal weapons in the region since the beginning of the year as part of ongoing efforts to combat arms trafficking.