Grossmans lawyer, Tony Buzbee, claims that the primary cause of the crash wasn't his clients allegedly unsafe driving, but a dangerous pedestrian crosswalk. Rebecca Grossman, the co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, has been identified as the suspect in a crash that killed two young brothers in Westlake Village. '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. She was paid $100,000 insurance with an additional $15,000 in repairs for her Mercedes. Toxic trauma expert Gabor Mate diagnoses Prince Harry with attention deficit disorder but tells him it CAN 'I felt different to the rest of my family - and my mum felt the same': Prince Harry opens up on his 'broken 'He's completely beige drained of all his feisty ginger life-blood': JULIE BURCHILL'S verdict on Prince Five unexpected signs in your 20s and 30s you're at risk of developing heart disease later in life. Iskander recalledthe night began as a regular family outing in their community. Sign up to receive news and updates about all of the good that your support makes possible! Samuels said it was "unfair" on the Iskander family for the case to go on for more than a year and had sympathized with them for their suffering. ', The other petition proclaimed, 'Let's push to spread awareness about this case and put Rebecca Grossman behind bars. }); The crash occurred the evening of Sept. 29, 2020, along Triunfo Canyon Roadat the intersection with Saddle Mountain Drive in Westlake Village. Everything to Know About Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' Shooting Charges, and What Happens Next? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category . 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. A heartbroken mother wept on the stand as she tearfully described how she desperately tried to wave down Rebecca Grossman just seconds before thesocialite ran over her two sons with her Mercedes during an alleged street race. hitType: 'event', 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. Sadly, as is typical for a neglectful government, nine days after the accident in this case, the city finally acted when it allocated $250,000 to install flashing lights at this crossing, Grossmans attorney said. hitType: 'event', eventAction: 'click_adunit' let gads_event; Mark, age 11, was gifted in math and science. In front of horrified parents, 11-year-old Mark and 9-year-old Jacob Iskander were struck and killed on the highway. Breaking crime and justice news on 'Crime Stories with Nancy Grace' "The victims family needs this case to go forward." Grossman lives in a $9.5 million, nine-bed, 12-bath mansion, in nearby Hidden Hills, on the same street as Full House actress Lori Loughlin. I pray for every mom whos lost a son, she said, according to the Star. Forover an hour, Eisner asked Iskander about whether she saw her children hit by Grossman's car, as well as how far apart they were after she jumped out of the way from the black SUV, though Iskander mostly said she did not remember. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Iskander was horrified to find Jacob lying in the roadway 'as if he was sleeping,' and her other son Mark had been on the hood of Grossman's vehicle, which kept going after the crash. The boys, one riding a scooter and the other on roller skates, were walking with their parents and . Supporters of the Iskander family were also at the hearing, wearing buttons that read Justice for Mark and Jacob.. Grossman is headed back to court on January 7 and Samuels said, "I want you and your new attorney here." Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! },false) The sheriff's department said they arrested 57-year-old Rebecca Grossman for vehicular manslaughter and DUI. Dozens gathered in Westlake Village Wednesday evening to remember two brothers, ages 9 and 11, killed in a horrific car crash that may have involved drinking and street racing. He can be reached by calling805-437-0208 or emailing jeremy.childs@vcstar.com. Revealed: The top 10 fastest-growing destinations for UK pensioners retiring overseas. The child development resource center offers these children access to fresh clothes, nutritional meals, and fun activities. The victims were Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8. 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. And that hate stems from believing everything thats been put out there about who I am: that I have no remorse, that Im this monster, that this hasnt affected my life, that I just go about my every day as if this never happened. asked Ryan Gould, the prosecutor in the case. That night, due to the darkness, lack of lighting, and the color of clothing [Jacob and Mark Iskander] were wearing, my client never saw those little boys.. 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. One boy was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect was identified as 57-year-old Rebecca Grossman, who has familial ties to the founder of the Grossman Burn Center. Jacob Iskander, 8, and Mark Iskander, 11, were crossing the street at the intersection of Triunfo Canyon Road and Saddle Mountain Drive around 7:10 p.m. Tuesday when the deadly collision occurred. Our freedom of information act requests has revealed that, despite multiple complaints from concerned citizens and many near misses, the city of Westlake Village refused on at least five occasions (2014/2017/2018/2019) to make the crossing safe.. 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 Mark and Jacob Iskander Foundation online. Buzbee said the prosecution overcharged his client in an attempt to twist his clients arm into pleading out. When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Erickson, who won his ring in 1991 with the Minnesota Twins, has been charged with reckless driving but he has not been accused of any other offenses connected with the brothers' deaths. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ The Iskander brothers had been walking across a crosswalk with their parents and two siblings, Zackary and Violet, when they were struck. I was very proud of them," Karim said. With her husband, prominent plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman, 59, Grossman is the founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation and ex-publisher of Westlake Magazine. Mark died at the scene and Jacob a few hours later in the hospital. Speed and alcohol cited as contributing factors. Mark Iskander, 11, (left) died at the scene while his nine-year-old brother, Jacob (right), died in hospital a few hours later +10 DailyMail.com has learned Grossman was also involved in an accident in 2012 during which the other driver claimed she ran a red light while driving 65mph in a 40mph zone and plowed into the back of his car. 2023 www.vcstar.com. Nancy Iskander, second from right, is consoled during a break from a hearing for Rebecca Grossman, who is charged with murder in a crash in Westlake Village that killed Iskander's sons Mark,. Sheriffs deputies had previously clocked her speed as exceeding 80 miles per hour just seconds before. The children were walking with their family when the allegedly drunk driver identified as 57-year-old Rebecca Grossman ran them over. Nancy Iskander, the boys' mother, narrowly saved one of her younger children, who was riding a scooter, as well as her youngest child, who was in a baby stroller, but couldnt grab Jacob or Mark in time. "Two young boys with an entire lifetime ahead of them.". Despite having six scheduled hearings over the past year, the case has been postponed numerous times, leaving the parents of 11-year-old Mark and 9-year-old Jacob Iskander in agony as. 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 Ventura County Star. She has not been actually charged with DUI. AGOURA HILLS, CA This holiday season, add the Iskander family to your holiday card recipient list. THE LIFE of Mark and Jacob Iskander was cut short in September 2020 after they were involved in a hit-and-run accident. pg.acq.push(function() { Iskander held her hand up to indicate they were crossing, but as the black car approached the intersection first, she quickly realized the car was not going to stop. It wasn't the first time that Judge Samuels has expressed sorrow over the many holdups in the case against Grossman. Over 18 months after a hit-and-run crash killed her 11-year-old son Mark and 8-year-old son Jacob, Iskander appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday to testify in the preliminary. At a hearing in March, Judge Shellie Samuels apologized to the victims' patents, Nancy and Karim Iskander, for the many continuances and postponement in the case, the most recent of which was Grossman's need to look for and hire a new lawyer after her previous attorney fell ill. 'This case has taken way too long,' said the judge. } Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? ga('ads.send', { Grossman has pleaded not guilty. eventAction: 'render' 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. The family of six left their home in theThree Springs neighborhood and went southon Triunfo Canyon Road, she recounted on the stand in the Van Nuys courthouse. The second boy was taken to a local hospital where he died a few hours later, the sheriff's office said. The city was told time after time that someone would be killed if measures were not taken. 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. 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. Rebecca's car struck the two boysMark died at the scene and Jacob died in hospital several hours later. }); The boys' mother, Nancy Iskander was also seen wearing one of the T-shirts as she thanked the protesters for their support. It's time she was put behind bars, where she belongs.'. Our mission is to lend support to the family and to get them. The brothers were identified by friends and by the Acorn newspaper as 9-year-old Jacob Iskander and 11-year-old Mark.