Texting while driving - life-threatening crime
Texting while driving - life-threatening crimeiStock

Tel Aviv District Court Chief Justice Eitan Orenstein was caught by a traffic policeman while using his cell phone while driving, a crime defined by law as life-threatening.

Following his arrest, an indictment was filed against him in a Tel Aviv traffic court. However, due to his status, the indictment was transferred to a Petach Tikva traffic court.

The Calcalist website reported that after several delays at the beginning of the trial, the parties reached an agreement according to which the indictment against him would be amended. The life-threatening offense attributed to him was "rectified" to the minor offense of not holding the wheel with both hands while driving.

At a hearing in a traffic court in Petah Tikva, the police prosecution presented the amended indictment.

Judge Ornstein admitted to the charges and was convicted.