A California philanthropist has been charged with murder in a flight accident last September that killed two young brothers. CBS Los Angeles reports that Rebecca Grossman, 57, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in a Los Angeles County Superior courtroom in Van Nuys for two counts of each of murder and manslaughter by gross negligence, along with one hit-and-run count. driving resulting in death.
Her bail was set at $ 2 million. If convicted on charges, she could be serving 34 years to life in state prison, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
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On the night of September 29, Mark and Jacob Iskander, ages 11 and 8, were on a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Triunfo Canyon Road and Saddle Mountain Drive when they were hit and killed by a speeding Mercedes while on a hike with their family . .
LA County Sheriff’s detectives say the driver, Grossman, drove away.
Her white Mercedes, which had front damage, came to a stop about a quarter of a mile from the crash site after the engine broke, prosecutors say.
Grossman is a co-founder and president of the Grossman Burn Foundation, the wife of the foundation’s president. She has received awards and praise for her philanthropy around the world.
The sheriff’s department told CBS Los Angeles on Monday that the drunk-driving part of the case is still under investigation and investigators are still waiting for toxicology results. She could be charged even more once those results come in.
The next hearing is scheduled for February 16.