A married LA socialite accused of fatally crashing two brothers was “racing” her MLB player lover after a lunchtime drink, prosecutors will allege as jury selection begins Tuesday for her trial.
Rebecca Grossman faces two counts of second-degree murder for allegedly running over and killing 8-year-old Jacob Iskander and his brother, Mark Iskander, 11, as they crossed a crosswalk in Westlake Village on September 29, 2020.
Grossman, wife of renowned burn surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman, driving behind former New York Mets and Yankees pitcher Scott Erickson moments before the crash, according to the LA Times, citing police investigators.
The court will be allowed to prove to the jury that Grossman, 60, was in the midst of a romantic relationship with Erickson at the time of the crash, according to a recent ruling by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Joseph Brandolino.
Rebecca Grossman (left) and her husband, Dr. Peter Grossman, accepts the Betty Fisher Legacy Award at the 2017 Evening of Hope at Sheraton Universal on May 18, 2017, in Universal City, California. Rebecca Sapp Grossman was said to be speeding behind another SUV driven by former LA Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson. AP
Nearly three years after the fatal crash, the prosecution shared the discovery of Grossman and Erickson’s relationship, after believing “the Defense intended to argue that the black car at issue in this particular scenario did not belong to Erickson.”
“The public intends to present evidence that it is, in fact, Erickson,” LA District Attorney Jamie Castro told the outlet. “We don’t want to get any nasty information.”
The two allegedly went out for cocktails in Westlake Village before getting into their SUV with Erickson driving, the outlet added.
Grossman’s white Mercedes SUV he allegedly drove at 81 mph before hitting the child. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
“The speed was crazy,” the boy’s mother, Nancy Iskander, told the outlet. “They zigzag each other as if they were playing or racing.”
The mother said she noticed the SUV speeding towards them as she and her three sons were crossing the pedestrian crossing.
Iskander signaled for the speeding vehicle to slow down, then grabbed his 5-year-old son and the pigeon for safety.
Both children died as a result of Grossman’s negligence behind the wheel. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Mark Iskander died at the scene, while his brother died in hospital a few hours later.
“They don’t stop before the intersection. They don’t stop at intersections. They don’t stop when an 11-year-old is on the hood of a car. Nobody stopped,” the heartbroken mother told the outlet.
The socialite’s breathalyzer test following the crash showed a blood alcohol content of 0.076%, according to the LA Times.
Two tearful women place flowers at a growing memorial for two brothers who were fatally injured while crossing Triunfo Canyon Road at Saddle Mountain Drive in their Westlake Village neighborhood on September 30, 2020. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
A blood sample taken three hours after the crash registered 0.08%, indicating he was illegally over the limit to drive in California.
Erickson, now 55, was charged with misdemeanors, but his case was settled when he was ordered to make a PSA for high school students about the importance of safe driving in February 2022.
Erickson’s attorney insisted that his client was not racing or driving recklessly and was not involved in the hit-and-run that killed the boys.
Erickson and his attorney have denied any involvement in the crash. New York Post
“He doesn’t race. He was charged with one count of reckless driving. He did not drive recklessly. He had nothing to do with this accident, in fact, no, and any suggestion that he did is false,” attorney Mark Werksman told the Los Angeles Daily News in February 2021.
“He did not witness the accident or have any part in causing it or play any role in it,” Werksman said.
As his case heads to trial, Grossman has insisted his car did not hit the boy and denied driving at 81 mph.
Grossman, who has been released on $2 million bond, could face up to 34 years in prison if convicted. Rebecca Sapp
Prosecutors also plan to present evidence that Grossman had Valium in his system at the time of the crash, which in turn impaired his ability to drive — although there were no charges of driving under the influence, according to a 2020 police report.
To obtain a second-degree murder conviction, prosecutors must prove that Grossman was aware that the speed he was driving in a residential area was dangerous to human life.
Robert Apodaca, a former LA County sheriff’s deputy and traffic accident expert, will testify that Grossman was driving 71.7 mph when he hit the boy and the car’s computer read 73 mph, according to the outlet.
Rebecca Grossman arrives at a Van Nuys courthouse for her initial hearing on April 25, 2023. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
During cross-examination during the case’s preliminary hearing, Apodaca said 11-year-old Mark Iskander was beaten so hard that he was thrown 254 feet.
Apodaca stated that it was the furthest he had ever known a human being tossed in an accident, according to the outlet.
He also faces two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of hit-and-run driving causing death.
Grossman, who has been released on $2 million bond, could face up to 34 years in prison if convicted.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
