Civil Trial Ongoing in 2020 Westlake Village Crash Case
Wrongful Death Civil Trial Continues for Rebecca Grossman and Scott Erickson
Testimony resumed this week in the wrongful death civil trial involving Rebecca Grossman, co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, and former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson. The trial pertains to a tragic 2020 crash in Westlake Village that resulted in the deaths of two young brothers, Mark and Jacob Iskander, aged 11 and 8.
Last week, former MLB player Royce Clayton took the stand, having previously testified in Grossman’s criminal trial. Clayton revealed that he had enjoyed margaritas with Grossman and Erickson shortly before the incident occurred. He provided insights into his interactions with Erickson following the crash.
Grossman’s conviction came in February 2024, where she was found guilty of two counts each of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, as well as one count of hit-and-run driving. The crash, which occurred on September 29, 2020, led to her receiving a sentence of 15 years to life in prison, despite facing a potential maximum penalty of 34 years.
Following Clayton’s testimony, an emergency room technician who assisted in the boys’ care recounted the traumatic experience that led her to seek therapy. She described the emotional impact of witnessing the boys’ deaths and hearing their mother, Nancy Iskander, in distress.
To date, the civil trial has seen testimonies from various professionals, including a crash investigation expert, a detective from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and witnesses from the crash scene. During her attorney’s opening statement, Grossman contended that she did not see the children in the crosswalk and did not attempt to flee the scene.
Despite attempting to appeal her criminal conviction on various grounds—including jury instructions and evidentiary issues—a state appeals court denied Grossman’s request earlier this year.
In this civil case, the Iskander family is seeking to have a jury determine liability and damages incurred as a result of the actions of Grossman and Erickson. Prosecutors had previously argued that Grossman and Erickson, after having drinks together, were traveling in separate vehicles when Grossman’s Mercedes-Benz SUV struck the boys as they were crossing Triunfo Canyon Road in a marked crosswalk with their parents. The incident occurred at a three-way intersection that lacked a stoplight; tragically, one boy died at the scene while the other succumbed to injuries at a hospital.
Prosecutors claimed Grossman was driving at 81 mph in a 45-mph zone mere moments before the collision. After the crash, she continued to drive, stopping approximately a quarter-mile away when her vehicle malfunctioned.
In the trial, Grossman’s attorneys asserted that it was Erickson’s vehicle that first struck the boys, although he was not called to testify. During her sentencing, Grossman expressed her sorrow to the Iskander family, stating, "I never saw anyone," and added, "I will carry this with me (until) my dying breath."
