A Hidden Hills driver on trial for a hit-and-run killing of two boys mentioned in an emergency room after her arrest that she can be dwelling in her storage if the automotive’s security system had not disabled her Mercedes, a hospital technician testified Thursday.
The startling testimony got here throughout Rebecca Grossman’s homicide trial within the deaths of brothers Mark and Jacob Iskander, 11 and eight, who have been run down whereas crossing Triunfo Canyon Street at Saddle Mountain Drive in Westlake Village with their mom on Sept. 29, 2020.
Grossman, 60, is charged with two counts of homicide, vehicular manslaughter and hit-run. Thursday’s testimony appeared to be an effort by prosecutors to help their allegation that she was searching for to flee in her closely broken Mercedes when the SUV’s security system made the automobile inoperable, a couple of third of a mile past the crosswalk.
Emergency medical technician Teryl Grasso testified she was working within the emergency room at Los Robles Regional Medical Middle when Grossman was admitted after the crash.
“In the event that they didn’t disable my automotive, I might have been at dwelling in my storage proper now,” Grossman mentioned, in keeping with Grasso underneath questioning by Deputy Dist. Atty. Jamie Castro.
Tony Buzbee, Grossman’s lead lawyer, instantly requested why Grasso mentioned “she was stalking the information,” seemingly insinuating she might have a bias and browse all of the tales in regards to the incident. Buzbee additionally requested why it took three years for Grasso to come back ahead with the allegation.
The stalking phrase instantly led to objections from prosecutors, however Buzbee mentioned it was Grasso’s phrase.
“I used to be stalking the information and I needed to go remedy too,” Grasso replied. “I used to be traumatized”.
Grasso mentioned she was prompted to come back ahead due to Grossman’s a number of feedback that night time and her habits on the time. “I’m not saying she didn’t care about these children,”’ Grasso added.
Castro then requested whether or not she delayed coming ahead as a result of she was uncertain if talking would violate federal legislation that protects affected person’s privateness.
Grasso mentioned that was appropriate and that she finally sought recommendation on the Well being Insurance coverage Portability and Accountability Act and discovered she might report feedback underneath these circumstances.
Grasso testified that she had remedy for 9 months in reference to the incident. “I nonetheless can not speak about that night time with out crying,” she mentioned.
Buzbee earlier within the trial bought a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy to acknowledge that after they discovered Grossman standing in entrance of her broken automobile it was about three-tenths of a mile from her dwelling on the time in Westlake Village.
On Wednesday, Deputy Rafael Mejia testified that he discovered Grossman standing in entrance of her Mercedes a brief distance from the crash website. The SUV had seen front-end harm, together with a buckled fender on the passenger facet, which sheriff’s officers photographed.
“She informed me her automobile was disabled by Mercedes-Benz and her air luggage went off, and she or he didn’t know what was happening,” Mejia mentioned. “She mentioned she hit one thing, however she didn’t know what she hit.”
Mejia mentioned he observed what seemed to be blood spatter on Grossman’s automobile, however acknowledged that he didn’t have it analyzed. He mentioned the one elements discovered on the scene have been from Grossman’s automobile.
Prosecutors have offered witnesses that present that Grossman and her then-boyfriend, Scott Erickson, 55, a former pitcher for the Dodgers, sped by the intersection that night after having drinks at a close-by restaurant.
Prosecutors on Thursday requested to place Royce Clayton, a former baseball participant who had been consuming with Grossman and Erickson that night time, again on the witness stand to make clear his earlier testimony.
Clayton testified early this week explaining why he’s not associates with Erickson. “I simply don’t perceive how he might be so negligent, and be accountable for operating down children.”
The choose, nevertheless, declined to permit Clayton again on the stand Thursday.
A lot of Thursday was spent with Grossman’s authorized crew displaying quite a few shortcomings in how Deputy Michael Kelley performed a sobriety take a look at on Grossman when he arrested her. Kelley repeatedly conceded he didn’t comply with very precise nationwide requirements for figuring out whether or not Grossman was impaired, together with requiring that she stroll a line and failing to time her throughout a one-legged stand.
Although she just isn’t charged with driving underneath the affect, prosecutors say Grossman was impaired. An on-site breathalyzer take a look at confirmed a blood-alcohol content material of 0.076%, barely under California’s authorized restrict of 0.08%. A blood pattern taken three hours after the crash registered on the 0.08% mark. As well as, Valium was present in her blood, in keeping with prosecutors.
