Los Angeles, CA – Rebecca Grossman, 60, has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for the hit-and-run deaths of two young brothers, Jacob Iskander, 8, and Mark Iskander, 11. The sentencing took place on Monday following her February conviction for the fatal incident that occurred on September 29, 2020, in Westlake Village.
Grossman struck the boys with her car as they crossed a marked crosswalk in their neighborhood. Jurors found her guilty of two counts of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one count of hit-and-run resulting in death. Despite prosecutors’ request for a 34-year sentence, the judge ruled for 15 years to life and ordered Grossman to pay $47,000 in restitution to the Iskander family.
During the sentencing, the boys’ mother, Nancy Iskander, expressed her disdain for Grossman, calling her “a coward.” Grossman, in a letter to the judge, maintained that she was not a murderer and expressed her enduring remorse and pain over the incident.
Evidence presented at the trial indicated that Grossman was driving over 80 mph, nearly twice the speed limit, and engaged in a “high-speed game of chicken” with former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson. She reportedly did not stop after hitting the boys, only coming to a halt a quarter-mile away when her car engine cut off. Witnesses testified that Grossman carried one of the boys on her car’s hood for over 100 feet and ran over him after braking.
Grossman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, argued that she was traveling at 52 mph and that Erickson, who drove through the crosswalk before her, was the first to strike one of the boys. However, prosecutors highlighted Grossman’s history of speeding and her disregard for human life.
Rebecca Grossman is the wife of plastic surgeon Peter Grossman and a co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, which supports burn survivors and their families.
The tragedy has left a lasting impact on the Iskander family and the community, as reflected in the courtroom’s emotional atmosphere during the trial and sentencing.