She added, "They need to hear the evidence. Grossman was allegedly street-racing with Erickson; witnesses say she tailed Ericksons SUV just before he swerved to avoid hitting the Iskanders, leaving no time for Grossman to stop. They had been walking with their familyparents Nancy and Karim, younger brother Zachary, and baby sister Violetwhen Rebecca's and another person's vehicles approached the marked crosswalk. Grossman's preliminary hearing was delayed yet again on Wednesday after the court was informed that her attorney Richard Sutton had taken ill and was unable to go forward with the case. The crash occurred the evening of Sept. 29, 2020, along Triunfo Canyon Roadat the intersection with Saddle Mountain Drive in Westlake Village. Grossman and her husband are the founders of the Grossman Burn Foundation, which seeks "to promote effective, sustainable partnership solutions for the comprehensive treatment, care, and support of burn survivors and their families in the United States and around the world," according to the organization's website. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Once her testimony finished, Iskander was cross-examined by Grossman's attorney Alan Eisner. The children were walking with their family when the allegedly drunk driver identified as 57-year-old Rebecca Grossman ran them over. Sheriffs deputies had previously clocked her speed as exceeding 80 miles per hour just seconds before. Grossman wasallegedly engaged in a high-speed game of chicken at the time with former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson when she struck the brothers with her car. One boy died at the scene, and the other died at the hospital. Crash that Killed Pregnant Mother, Her Son & 4 Others. Samuels will then decide if Grossman should be ordered to stand trial or not. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data. }); pg.acq.push(function() { There was inadequate and unsafe sight lines and sight distances for drivers traveling through the intersection (which) lacks traffic control or warning devices necessary to prevent the intersection from being a concealed trap for pedestrians, the suit against the city stated, according to the Acorn. eventAction: 'load' Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Rebecca Grossman hit the youngsters in front of their parents - then drove off with one of the victims trapped on the hood of her luxury car . "This is a devastating loss for our community," State Sen. Henry Stern posted on Facebook. He also alleges that his investigators have determined that Grossman was traveling at just under 52 mph when she struck the boys, according to Law and Crime. Mark's arm was broken and he had "blood coming out his mouth," she said. a maximum sentence of 34 years to life in prison if convicted, The crash occurred the evening of Sept. 29, 2020, along Triunfo Canyon Road, has since been charged with misdemeanor reckless driving, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' "Two young boys with an entire lifetime ahead of them.". After the deaths of the boys, the city allocated $250,000 to install flashing lights at the crossing, according to Buzbee and Law and Crime. "The victims family needs this case to go forward." 'We demand that Grossman is prosecuted and sentenced to the fullest extent of the law and that she face serious consequences for her actions that took away the lives of Mark and Jacob. Both brothers died that night.. It's detrimental to them that this is taking so long. "I know that I will see them again, and I look so forward to the. "Our community love and support, along with their tremendous faith, is whats helping their family get through this very difficult time," Cohen said in a Facebook post. Prosecutors claim Grossman hit both boys and traveled more than 100 feet with one of them on the hood of her car before she applied the brakes and the child fell off. },false) eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), On September 29, 2020, Mark and Jacob Iskander were hit and killed by a vehicle in their Southern California neighborhood while on a walk with their family. It haunts me every night," Iskander said. What occurred that night was a horrible, unspeakable tragedy, but it was not murder. The Iskander family filed a lawsuit against the state of California, L.A. County and Westlake Village in August 2021, The Acorn reported, alleging that the intersection where the boys was killed was dangerously defective and acted as a trap for pedestrians. Grossman is the wife of Dr. Peter Grossman, a plastic surgeon, and the daughter-in-law of Dr. A. Richard Grossman, who founded the Grossman Burn Centers in Los Angeles, Bakersfield and Kansas City, Missouri. It is unfathomable to me how the state thinks it can prosecute someone while it is at the same time being sued for recklessness, and negligence for the very same incident.. He had a strong personality, strong muscles and strong faith. The rest of the six-member family escaped injury. She apologized to the Iskander family saying, "I'm sorry but my hands are tied." Jacob and Mark were both hit by the Mercedes. She ordered the socialite to find someone who would to be prepared for a preliminary trial "no later than March" 2022. Not so shipshape! Jacob Iskander would have turned 11 on this coming Friday, his mother Nancy Iskander told the Ventura County Star after Tuesday's hearing. The brothers were identified by a local newspaper, The Acorn, as 11-year-old Mark Iskander and 9-year-old Jacob Iskander. Rebecca Grossman and attorneys arrive for a court hearing at Los Angeles Superior Court for driving DUI and killing two children as they were crossing the street in Westlake Village in Los Angeles County and leaving the scene of the accident, Rebecca Grossman leaves Los Angeles Superior Court after a hearing for DUI and killing two children as they were crossing the street in Westlake Village in Los Angeles County. I pray for every mom whos lost a son, she said, according to the Star. All six of them were walking across a crosswalk at a. A sign shows an image of Mark Iskander, 11, left, and his brother Jacob Iskander, 8, outside of Van Nuys Courthouse were a preliminary hearing was held for Rebecca Grossman who is charged with . Grossmans lawyer, Tony Buzbee, claims that the primary cause of the crash wasn't his clients allegedly unsafe driving, but a dangerous pedestrian crosswalk. Jacob loved running track because it allowed him to showcase his speed, his strength, and his sportsmanship. Love to Party for GoodGood for You + Community Too! The Los Angeles socialite accused of mowing down two brothers at a crosswalk in 2020 has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Grossman, 57, was arrested on two counts of vehicular manslaughter, the sheriff's department said. When she hit the brakes, the boy rolled off into the streets. 2. "I pray for every mom who's lost a son," she said, according to the Star. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Thank you! } Nancy Iskander and her husband Karim leave Van Nuys Courthouse during a lunch break from a preliminary hearing for Rebecca Grossman, who is charged with murder and other counts stemming from a . 'It's time she was put behind bars, where she belongs', Protestors say Grossman is being given preferential treatment by the legal system due to her wealth and connections, 'Since the boys were killed a year and a half ago, Grossman has been free on bail, free to do whatever she wants, while the boys' parents are living a nightmare.'. 2023 www.vcstar.com. Grossman could receive a sentence of up to 34 years to life in state prison if she is convicted as charged, the DA's office said. We are one of the worlds fastest growing Her husband, Karim Iskander, went ahead on a jog, carrying their youngest child, Violet. We pray daily for the family, their loved ones, and the community. Mark (11) and Jacob (8) Iskander were tragically killed in an auto accident by an "alleged" drunk driver in September, 2020. "This is a devastating loss for our community," State Senator Henry Stern tweeted. He was eventually located up the roadway, his skateboard broken and his shoes off his feet. }); "All witnessed by the very eyes of the ones who love them most their parents. The comments below have not been moderated. After only two years of arriving to Canada from Croatia, we were in a car accident at age 14 I was orphaned.<br><br>Upon graduating from University of Ottawa I was drafted to play in the Canadian Football League.<br><br>At TK Financial we create strategic solutions combining Life Insurance and Estate Planning strategies that are time-tested and proven.<br><br>We have uncovered millions of . The vehicle's driver, 57-year-old, Rebecca Grossman, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, racing, and fleeing the scene of the crime. 1 Dead, 12 Injured After Car Runs Into Taco Stand in Pomona, Calif. Mark's third-grade teacher Kristen Rowlands remembered her student as having an "outgoing passion" paired with "smarts," adding that his younger brother was full of confidence and "so much joy," the Thousand Oaks Acorn reported. Grossman is a a co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation anddaughter-in-law of Dr. A. Richard Grossman, founder of the Grossman Burn Centers, which treat burn victims at three facilities in Los Angeles, Bakersfield and Kansas City, Missouri. Nancy Iskander appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday to testify in the preliminary hearing for the case, nearly two years after the hit-and-run crash killed her sons Mark, 11, and Jacob, 8. The hearing was continued to Tuesday morning with at least a half-dozen more witnesses expected to testify. Rebecca Grossman, 59, has pleaded not guilty to felony murder, vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run driving in the Sept. 29, 2020 deaths of Jacob Iskander, 8, and his brother Mark. One of the protesters, mother-of-two Julie Cohen, 58, - who made the Mark and Jacob T-shirts bearing the words 'JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED, plus similar stickers - told told DailyMail.com, 'There have been too many delays already. She has not been actually charged with DUI. After the first car passed, the second vehicle, a white Mercedes GLE 43, drove through the crosswalk. The boys, who were on roller skates and a skateboard at the time, were crossing a marked crosswalk with their parents, Nancy Iskander and Karim Iskander, nearby. } BBC's 1million star Zoe Ball, 52, lands big new payday for Abba show on ITV. Loved ones are asking residents to send holiday cards to the family of Mark and Jacob Iskander, two young brothers who were fatally struck by a car in Westlake Village in 2020. There is a lot of hate and anger out there, Grossman told, Nancy Iskander said anyone who wants to support Mark and Jacobs legacy can do so through the charity founded in their memory with the Ventura County Community Foundation, the Ventura County Star reported. ga('ads.send', { Mothers and homemakers were spotted wearing T-shirts with a picture of the young victims, Jacob, 9, and Mark Iskander, 11, as they protested outside the courtroom in Van Nuys on March 16. Hearing Held For Socialite Accused Of Killing Two Boys, The murder trial of a Los Angeles socialite accused of hitting and killing two brothers in a crosswalk could start asearly as this spring, according to the, has pleaded not guilty to felony murder, vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run driving in the Sept. 29, 2020 deaths of Jacob Iskander, 8, and his brother Mark Iskander, 11, according to previous, Grossman allegedly reached speeds of up to 81 miles per hour in her Mercedes Benz before hitting the brothers as they walked with their parents and siblings in a crosswalk along Triunfo Canyon Road in Westlake Village northwest of Los Angeles, according to previous. Rebecca Grossman socialite arrested in DUI crash that killed Mark and Jacob Iskander two young boys. A Los Angeles socialite is facing two counts of vehicular manslaughter for allegedly killing two young brothers with her car Tuesday night while allegedly driving drunk. }); In September 2020, Rebecca Grossman ran over two boys Mark and Jacob Iskander with her Mercedes in West Lake, California. But despite the severity of the crimes she's accused of, she's been free on bail since being charged two days after the tragedy. The brothers were identified by friends and by the Acorn newspaper as 9-year-old Jacob Iskander and 11-year-old Mark. The Iskander brothers had been walking across a crosswalk with their parents and two siblings, Zackary and Violet, when they were struck. eventAction: 'render' That $2 million bail, plus the slow pace of court proceedings including several hearings where Grossman didn't show up have sparked outrage from protesters who believe her wealth and 'connections' have kept her out of jail. The Grossman Burn Foundation did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. The sheriff's department said they arrested 57-year-old Rebecca Grossman for vehicular manslaughter and DUI. On the evening of September 29, Mark and Jacob Iskander of Westlake Village lost their lives at the hand of a suspected DUI driver while crossing a crosswalk south of Westlake lake. We are now confident that the facts of this tragic accident will soon be revealed to help bring closure and healing to all shattered by an . The children were crossing a street in Westlake Village when they were hit by a driver just after 7 p.m. Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ The park carries special meaning for the Iskander family because it was the boys' neighborhood playground. It's time she was put behind bars, where she belongs.'. She is the co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation and the former publisher of Westlake Magazine, according to the Ventura County Star. Jeremy Childs is a breaking news and public safety reporter covering the night shift for the Ventura County Star. Mark was allegedly carried 100ft on the hood of Grossman's car before she braked, at which point he fell off the car and she ran him over again as she fled the scene, say prosecutors. The street has two lanes of traffic and bike lanes on each side, plus a dividing median, and they were only halfway across when she noticed a loud noise. When she turned, she saw Jacob lying in the roadway "as if he was sleeping," but Mark was nowhere to be found. The hearing before Judge Shellie Samuelswas to determine whether the suspected driver in the crash, Hidden Hills resident Rebecca Grossman, 58, should be brought to trial for the charges. Our mission is to lend support to the family and to get them. Find top doctors who treat Infectious Liver Disease near you in Staten Island, NY. Traveling over the posted speed limit is simply not murder, no matter how the DA attempts to twist the facts for his own purposes.. Investigators said street racing may have been involved in the crash, which happened at the intersection of Triunfo Canyon Road and Saddle Mountain Drive, The Iskander brothers had been walking across a crosswalk with their parents and two siblings, Zackary and Violet, when they were struck, The brothers are pictured in this undated school photos. Grossman is expected back in court in August, according to NBC Los Angeles, with her trial slated to begin in September. }); On September 14, Samuels blasted Grossman for not showing up at her previous five scheduled court appearances, all of which were continued. In September 2020, the young lives of Mark and Jacob Iskander were tragically taken by a drunk driver in a hit and run accident while on a family walk in their neighborhood in California. The 57-year-old was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter for running over the kids aged 11 and 9. The Iskander family filed a lawsuit against the state of California, L.A. County and Westlake Village in August 2021. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. hitType: 'event', After Monday's hearing, Grossman, left court hand in hand with her husband. "It was the pandemic. Rebecca Grossman Grossman accepts the Betty Fisher Legacy Award at Evening of Hope 2017 at Sheraton Universal on May 18, 2017 in Universal City, California. Buzbee said that the city engineer had determined that the crossing was on a blind curve, but still the city did not take action. Come Celebrate Women! },false) Iskander said she waved frantically to try to get the drivers' attention before pushing her 5-year-old son out of the way. One boy was pronounced dead at the scene. If you could add them to your holiday card list, it would mean so much to them," said Julie Cohen, a family friend and advocate. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ Rebecca appeared on news after hitting Mark Iskander and Jacob Iskander who was born in 2009 and 2011 respectively. The suspect was identified as 57-year-old Rebecca Grossman, who has familial ties to the founder of the Grossman Burn Center. 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