A Los Angeles jury has ordered socialite Rebecca Grossman and former Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson to pay $176 million over a 2020 crash that killed two young brothers in a crosswalk. Grossman, 62, is already serving 15 years to life for second-degree murder in the Westlake Village deaths of Mark and Jacob Iskander, ages 11 and 8, per KTLA. Jurors in the civil case found both she and Erickson, 58, were negligent and acting "in concert" before Grossman's Mercedes hit the boys at an estimated 73mph, shortly after the pair had been drinking at a local restaurant, according to testimony. The family's attorneys argued the pair were racing, and that Erickson's vehicle just missed the boys before Grossman's vehicle struck them. Mark's body flew more than 250 feet, experts said, per the Los Angeles Times.
The award covers wrongful-death damages for parents Nancy and Karim Iskander, plus emotional-distress damages for them and surviving son Zachary. Jurors also found both defendants acted with malice or oppression, clearing the way for a second phase on punitive damages that could add millions more; the plaintiffs had sought more than $430 million. Defense lawyers denied claims that the dating pair were racing while impaired, argued that trees blocked the pedestrian crossing sign, and claimed data from Grossman's Mercedes couldn't be trusted. "It's not an accident when you speed, and you drink, and you drive impaired," responded the plaintiffs' attorney. "Who would act like that except someone who thinks they can do whatever they want and there's no consequences?"
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