More than five years after brothers Mark and Jacob Iskander were killed in a crash on the Southern Motorway californiaone Los Angeles On Wednesday, a county jury awarded the family $176 million in damages.
The verdict found that socialite Rebecca Grossman and former Major League Baseball pitcher Scott Erickson were negligent in an accident that resulted in Mark Iskander and Jacob Iskander crossing the street with skateboards and inline skates in Westlake Village in 2020. and the death of Jacob Iskander.
Grossman’s spouse, Dr. Peter Grossman, is also liable for $176 million in damages. He was a defendant in the lawsuit because he owned the car driven by Rebecca Grossman, and jurors found he had given her permission to drive it.
The jury found that Grossman, 62, and Erickson, 58, were careless and “cooperated in the course of their activities, resulting in the fatal collision.”
5 key things to know about Rebecca Grossman and Scott Erickson
1. Rebecca Grossman was convicted of murdering the Iskander brothers. Rebecca Grossman is a Los Angeles-area socialite, philanthropist, and co-founder of the Grossman Byrne Foundation.
She was convicted in 2024 of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of gross negligence vehicular manslaughter and one count of hit-and-run resulting in death.
She was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
2. Grossman and Scott Erickson were speeding in a residential area. Scott Erickson is a former Major League Baseball All-Star who played for the Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Yankees, among other teams.
Prosecutors argued that Grossman was driving at more than 70 mph in a residential area when he struck 11-year-old Mark and 8-year-old Jacob Iskander.
Grossman’s vehicle hit the brothers at about 73 mph in a 45 mph zone, the Los Angeles Times reported. Additionally, they stated in testimony that the impact caused Mark to be thrown 250 feet and left grate marks on his body. His brother Jacob was found across the street.
3. Grossman and Scott Erickson were drinking before the crash. Grossman and Erickson drank at a nearby restaurant before leaving in separate cars, according to witness testimony during the criminal and civil trials.
Attorneys for the Iskander family claimed during Grossman’s criminal trial that Erickson and Grossman had been driving and racing at high speeds on the same road shortly before the collision.
Brian Panish, an attorney for Nancy and Karim Iskander and their youngest surviving son, Zachary, said during the trial: “Speeding, driving under the influence, driving under the influence, these are not accidents… No one would do something like this unless they thought they could do whatever they wanted and there would be no consequences.”
4. Scott Erickson was never criminally charged. Erickson was not charged criminally in the crash.
According to expert witness testimony, Erickson avoided striking the family as they crossed a designated crosswalk. Eriksen also denied taking part in the game.
5. Both Grossman and Eriksson are responsible. A Los Angeles jury found that both Grossman and Erickson acted with malice in the Iskander boy’s death.
During the trial, Panish asked Erickson: “It was only after the jury’s verdict that you came clean and admitted that you caused the death, that you were a part of it, and that you covered it up for almost six years, right?”
To this question, Eriksson replied: “Yes, that’s correct.”
“My wife was involved in this accident and she bears responsibility,” Peter Grossman said.
