Socialite Rebecca Grossman and former Los Angeles Dodgers player Scott Erickson have been found liable for the 2020 hit-and-run incident that killed young brothers Mark Iskander and Jacob Iskander while they were on a crosswalk.
On Wednesday, June 3, a jury found that Grossman, 62, and Erickson, 58, were liable in the car crash that took place in Westlake Village, California, according to The Los Angeles Times.
The jury decided to award the victims’ parents, Nancy Iskander and Karim Iskander, and their son Zachary $176 million in damages. Mark and Jacob were just 11 and 8 years old at the time of their deaths.
At the time of the incident, Erickson was in a separate vehicle ahead of Grossman when she hit the two boys. However, the jury determined that Erickson was negligent and that both he and Grossman “acted in concert with each other in the course of their activities leading to the fatal collision,” according to the outlet.
It was previously reported that Grossman and Erickson were competing in street racing at the time she hit the boys and fled the scene.
Following an eight-week trial, the jury determined that both parties acted with malice, according to Fox 11. Grossman’s husband, Dr. Peter Grossman, is also named as a defendant in the case because he owned the vehicle his wife was driving at the time of the hit-and-run.
In February 2024, Rebecca was convicted of two counts of murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and one count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death. Rebecca was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. She filed an appeal in June 2024, though the jury upheld the conviction in March.
“Rebecca Grossman was rightfully convicted by a jury of her peers for the callous murder of two children when she chose to drive up to 81 mph on a residential street after drinking at a bar, knowing full well that this could have deadly results,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a press release.
“The legal standard is clear: Driving at excessive speeds through a pedestrian crosswalk after consuming alcohol absolutely demonstrates the requisite state of mind for second-degree murder,” Hochman continued. “The outcome of this case shows that the law applies to everyone, and money or connections offer no immunity from accountability.”
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office previously said in a 2020 press release that Rebecca was driving at “excessive speeds” when she hit the young boys on a crosswalk, and she drove away without helping them.
Rebecca reportedly consumed alcohol and Valium before she got behind the wheel and began racing Erickson, whom she was romantically involved with, according to the Los Angeles Times. She was said to be driving at 81 mph in a 45-mph zone.
