News/Local News/Breaking/Jun 6, 2026

jury weighs punitive damages in Westlake Village crash case

A civil jury is considering whether Rebecca Grossman and former Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson should pay punitive damages in the deaths of Mark and Jacob Iskander. The family already received a $176 million award for wrongful death and emotional distress claims.

jury weighs punitive damages in Westlake Village crash case article cover image

Scott Erickson testified in Van Nuys that he has little remaining from the roughly $46 million he earned as a professional baseball player, as jurors consider additional damages tied to the 2020 Westlake Village crash that killed 11 year old Mark Iskander and 8 year old Jacob Iskander. Rebecca Grossman is serving 15 years to life after a murder conviction in the same crash.

The civil jury previously found Grossman and Erickson liable and awarded the boys' parents and surviving brother $176 million. Erickson, who was driving ahead of Grossman's SUV after the pair had been at a Westlake Village cantina, said he regrets his actions and believes he may have been able to prevent the deaths.