By: Jordan Park

Local News Editor

The trial of a wealthy socialite accused of running over and killing two young brothers is now underway as jury selection commences in Los Angeles County. Prosecutors say Rebecca Grossman, 60, was behind the wheel and responsible for the accident.  

Over three years ago, on Sept. 29, 2020, the Iskander family was crossing a quiet Westlake Village street when two sports utility vehicles rounded the corner and started barrelling toward them. Nancy Iskander dove out of the way with her 5-year-old son, but the vehicle struck Jacob, 8, and Mark, 11. Mark died on the scene, and Jacob died hours later in a local hospital.

Prosecutors now charge Grossman with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one count of hit-and-run driving in connection with the fatal collision. She has pleaded not guilty.  

Investigators found that Grossman was driving behind Scott Erickson, a former Dodgers player who had been drinking with Grossman earlier in the day. The District Attorney’s Office charged Erickson with a misdemeanor, and a judge resolved his case in February with an order to make a service announcement intended for high school students about the importance of safe driving. Grossman’s on-site breathalyzer showed a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.076 percent, just below the California limit of 0.08 percent. Police took a blood sample hours later, which displayed a BAC of 0.08 percent. Prosecutors on the case, Ryan Gould and Jamie Casto, plan to introduce evidence to further support that Grossman should not have been behind the wheel as investigators/police found Valium, a medication that treats anxiety, seizures, and muscle spasms, in her system. Grossman’s lawyers maintain that the lead vehicle struck the boys. 

Throughout the trial, jurors will likely hear from Robert Apodaca, a former LA County Sheriff’s Deputy who specializes in traffic crashes. The deputy said he calculated that Grossman’s speed was an astonishing 71.7 miles per hour when she hit the Iskanders, and a computer simulation reaffirmed the calculation, showing 73 miles per hour. He also stated that when the car struck Mark, he was thrown 254 feet. Rafael Mejia, another deputy, said he found Grossman about a third of a mile away from the crash, confused about why her airbags had been deployed. Prosecutors will also likely bring in the California Highway Patrol officer who pulled over Grossman in 2013, going 92 miles per hour on the freeway. 

The jurors are anticipated to start hearing testimony within a week or two, and the trial is expected to last six weeks or more. The prosecutors have not extended a plea deal to the socialite, who has secured a two million dollar bond. If found guilty of all charges, Grossman could face up to 24 years of imprisonment.

(Sources: ABC7, LA Times)