The civil trial stemming from the 2020 Westlake Village crosswalk deaths of Mark and Jacob Iskander concluded with a Los Angeles County jury awarding the family a total of $176 million in damages. The verdict found both Rebecca Grossman and former professional baseball player Scott Erickson negligent, and jurors determined that each acted with malice, moving the case into a punitive‑damages phase.
The crash occurred on Triunfo Canyon Road, where attorneys argued Grossman and Erickson drove at high speeds after leaving a nearby restaurant. Evidence presented during the trial included vehicle data, eyewitness accounts, and expert testimony describing speeds approaching 80 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone. Grossman’s vehicle struck the Iskander brothers as the family crossed the street. She continued driving until her vehicle shut down further up the road.
Jurors awarded damages to the boys’ parents and to their younger brother, who witnessed the collision. The court also found Dr. Peter Grossman liable as the owner of the vehicle under permissive‑use rules. The malice finding requires a second phase of the trial to evaluate the defendants’ financial condition before determining punitive damages.
The civil verdict follows Grossman’s 2024 criminal conviction for second‑degree murder, vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and hit‑and‑run. She is serving a sentence of 15 years to life. Erickson did not face criminal charges in the case.
The punitive‑damages phase is expected to begin after financial disclosures are submitted to the court. Proceedings will continue in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
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Sources
- Yahoo / Ventura County Star
- FOX 11 Los Angeles
- NBC Los Angeles
- ABC7 Los Angeles
- USA Today
- USA Today Network
- CBS Los Angeles