}); In September 2020, Rebecca Grossman ran over two boys Mark and Jacob Iskander with her Mercedes in West Lake, California. Jacob loved running track because it allowed him to showcase his speed, his strength, and his sportsmanship. The JUSTICE FOR MARK AND JACAOB ISKANDER GROUP is for all our neighbors to share their love and support for the Iskander family. Grossman has pleaded not guilty. Box 4312, Westlake Village, CA 91359. 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. I fear someone will get hurt or killed, one email allegedly read. The city was repeatedly asked to upgrade and make the crosswalk safer. 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.. One boy was pronounced dead at the scene. On September 14, Samuels blasted Grossman for not showing up at her previous five scheduled court appearances, all of which were continued. Rebecca Grossman in a 2014 video. Our sympathies are with all who have been affected.". He had a strong personality, strong muscles and strong faith. 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. The Mark and Jacob Iskander Foundation online. 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, The Acorn reported, alleging that the intersection where the boys was killed was dangerously defective and acted as a trap for pedestrians. Buzbee emphasized that Grossman was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, which was suspected in early reports. }); She managed to take her 5-year-old son to safety after hearing engine roars and two SUVs driving toward them, but she found her older sons almost dead. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! After allegedly hitting the Iskander brothers, witnesses said Grossman fled the scene before the vehicle stalled about a quarter-mile away. Grossman allegedly kept driving after striking the children, only stopping a quarter-mile away because her engine cut off, authorities have said. Published: 15:05 GMT, 26 April 2022 | Updated: 15:21 GMT, 26 April 2022. ga('ads.send', { 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. A scuffed copy of the Koran. "It was the pandemic. Investigators had cordoned off a crosswalk with crime scene tape, and a scooter and a set of roller blades were seen nearby the crash location after the collision. He died at the scene. 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. There is a lot of hate and anger out there, Grossman told Los Angeles Magazine in November. She accused of running over and killing two young brothers while they were in the crosswalk at a Westlake Village intersection in September 2020. He stands tall, he speaks with confidence. She finally pulled over a mile and a half away. The young kids were walking with their parents and two siblings. Nonprofit Founder Charged with Murder After Allegedly Killing 2 Boys in Hit and Run Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8, were killed in September when Rebecca Grossman allegedly. She told the news outlet she plans to mark the occasion by going out to dinner with her husband and their two surviving children. Iskander said she grabbed Zachary and threw him toward the curb before jumping out of the way herself. The park carries special meaning for the Iskander family because it was the boys' neighborhood playground. }); Mark and Jacob are survived by their parents, Nancy and Karim Iskander and their siblings, Zachary and Violet Iskander. ga('ads.send', { 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.. Buzbee said the prosecution overcharged his client in an attempt to twist his clients arm into pleading out. We know his prayers continue for them in heaven. Importantly, contrary to some information that has been shared, Rebecca Grossman was not intoxicated, she has not been charged with DUI, and she certainly did not attempt to flee the scene, Buzbee said in his statement. Grieving community members gathered at a vigil for the boys on Wednesday night. The Mark & Jacob Iskander Foundation helps fund a child development resource center in Egypt where these kids can take a break from the harsh reality of their lives. 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. }); "When they were little I thought it was my job to teach them but especially in the last year I think it was the opposite. Coming back to the recent case, judge Shellie Samuels said "Its been a year and two months since it happened," Samuels said. 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. Lawyers for the Los Angeles woman who struck and killed two young brothers in a crosswalk as she was allegedly engaged in a race with another driver says that the citys failure to make the intersection safer is one of the primary causes of the boys deaths. 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. Grossman, 58, prior to being named a suspect in the Iskanders' case was also allegedly involved in another speeding accident. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. A Change.org petition was started after the Iskander boys' deaths, demanding for Grossman to be "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.". Sign up to receive news and updates about all of the good that your support makes possible! 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. Mark died at the scene and Jacob a few hours later in the hospital. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! "I pray for every mom who's lost a son," she said, according to the Star. We are excited about keeping you updated! Several witnesses will testify this morning with a decision expected later today. Two other children are said to have been pulled out of harm's way. Rebecca appeared on news after hitting Mark Iskander and Jacob Iskander who was born in 2009 and 2011 respectively. Buzbee said that the city engineer had determined that the crossing was on a blind curve, but still the city did not take action. Participants are asked to send their holiday cards to P.O. According to several local reports, including those from CBS Los Angeles, the Sacramento Bee, and KNBC, Rebecca Grossman, 57, is More information is available at. WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (KABC) -- 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. It's time she was put behind bars, where she belongs.'. Jacob and Zachary were holed up all day and wanted to get some fresh air," the mother of four said. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. If you had the great joy of enjoying a conversation with Mark, there was likely mention of reptiles or ice hockey -- two passions he championed proudly. 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.. pg.acq.push(function() { "I still see it every night. 'These continual delays are awful for the family. "Two young boys with an entire lifetime ahead of them. Grossman is expected back in court in August, according to NBC Los Angeles, with her trial slated to begin in September. 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 Iskander, 11, according to previous Oxygen.com reporting. 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. Speed and alcohol cited as contributing factors. Karim and Nancy Iskander parents of Mark and Jacob Iskander leave Los Angeles Superior Court Monday after a hearing for Rebecca Grossman, who is accused of killing their two children as they were crossing the street in Westlake Village. But said neither Grossman's white Mercedes Benz nor Scott Erickson's black SUV stopped. It haunts me every night," Iskander said. I learned from them more. Jacob Iskander would have turned 11 on this coming Friday, his mother Nancy Iskander told the Ventura County Star after Tuesdays hearing. CLOSE Mourners visit the memorial site for Mark Iskander, 11, and brother Jacob Iskander, 8, who were struck and killed Tuesday in Westlake Village. 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. During Breathalyzer tests, Grossman blew a .075 and then .076 (under Californias legal limit of .08). We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Rebecca Grossmans lawyers now allege the citys failure to make the intersection safer is the primary reason for the boys deaths, according to. . Grossman told officers, I was driving, and all of a sudden, my airbag went off, footage showed. The Grossman Burn Foundation is the "philanthropic arm" of the Grossman Burn Centers, which were founded by Rebecca Grossman's father-in-law, according to the website. Our thoughts are with the family and community of Mark and Jacob Iskander . Traveling over the posted speed limit is simply not murder, no matter how the DA attempts to twist the facts for his own purposes.. The boys' mother broke down in tears on the stand as she testified that on the day of the crash, she was walking with the two boys as well as their 5-year-old brother in the crosswalk when she heard loud engines and suddenly saw two SUVs hurtling toward them. The rate of vehicle traffic, as well as pedestrian traffic, combined with the high speed limit were of such a nature that the crosswalk should have not existed without traffic device enhancements to provide warning of pedestrians using the intersection.. According to the sheriff's department, after the collision, it appears one of the boys was carried for more than a hundred feet down the road on the hood of the car. Who is James Khuri? Rebecca Grossman, co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, arrives at Van Nuys Courthouse for her preliminary hearing. Grossmans attorney doesnt deny that his client was behind the wheel of the car that struck the boys but said that wasnt enough to warrant the severe charges. 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. 14 months since the accident, a preliminary hearing in the case remains pending to date with Grossman having managed to evade the hearing yet again on December 1. We are deeply devastated by the heartbreaking loss of Mark and Jacob Iskander. 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. Grossman is headed back to court on January 7 and Samuels said, "I want you and your new attorney here." Jeremy Childs is a breaking news and public safety reporter covering the night shift for the Ventura County Star. ", Photo: Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church of Ventura County, 2 Young Brothers Killed in Front of Parents by Car, and Socialite Driver Is Charged with DUI, L.A. Sheriff's Deputy Charged with Murder in Fatal Crash that Killed 12-Year-Old Boy, Minnesota Mom Convicted of Murdering Her 6-Year-Old Son After Going to Gun Range for Shooting Practice, Calif. Man Arrested After Allegedly Crashing into Church Van, Killing 3 Coming from Bible Study, Woman Allegedly Used Social Media to Find and Kill Doppelgnger So She Could Fake Her Own Death. It is ironic that the Iskander family not only sued the City of Westlake, but also sued the State of California for their sons deaths the same entity that now is attempting to prosecute Mrs. Grossman, Buzbees statement said. The prosecutions insistence on overcharging my client, a pillar of this community, with murder is nothing more than a transparent effort to force her to plea that is impeding progress in this case.. 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 hearing for thecase.