Civil Wrongful Death Trial Ongoing in Westlake Village Crash Case
Grossman Burn Foundation Co-Founder Convicted in Fatal Crash
Rebecca Grossman, co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, was convicted in February 2024 following a tragic crash that resulted in the deaths of two young brothers, Mark and Jacob Iskander, aged 11 and 8.
The incident occurred on September 29, 2020, in Westlake Village. Grossman was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, as well as one count of hit-and-run driving. She received a sentence of 15 years to life in prison, facing a maximum potential sentence of 34 years.
Earlier this year, a state appeals court panel upheld Grossman’s conviction amidst her attempts to appeal on various grounds related to court instructions, evidence, and standards concerning implied malice.
In a civil wrongful death trial, the parents of the deceased boys, Nancy and Karim Iskander, are seeking to determine liability and damages from both Grossman and former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson, who was also involved in the incident. The couple was present in court as the trial commenced.
Prosecutors argued that Grossman and Erickson had been drinking earlier in the evening and were returning to her nearby residence in separate vehicles when Grossman’s white Mercedes-Benz SUV struck the boys while they were crossing Triunfo Canyon Road in a marked crosswalk with family members. The boys were part of a group of six crossing the intersection, which lacks a stoplight. Mark Iskander died at the scene, while Jacob succumbed to his injuries shortly after at a hospital.
Prosecutors alleged that Grossman was driving at speeds of 81 mph in a 45 mph zone moments before the collision. Following the incident, Grossman continued to drive for about a quarter-mile before her vehicle’s engine stalled.
Defense attorneys contended that it was actually Erickson who first hit the boys with his black SUV. Notably, Erickson was not called to testify during the proceedings.
During her sentencing, Grossman expressed her remorse, stating, “I want the boys’ family to know how sorry I am,” and emphasized that she did not see them in the street. "God knows that I never saw anybody," she remarked. "I will carry this with me (until) my dying breath."
