Former MLB Pitcher Testifies in Wrongful Death Trial Over 2020 Crosswalk Crash

Former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson testified this week that he accelerated through a Westlake Village crosswalk moments before two boys were struck and killed there in 2020. Erickson said he was driving between 50 and 55 mph when he saw the children. He stated he pressed the accelerator for two or three seconds to clear the intersection. m. on September 29, 2020.

Erickson told the Van Nuys courtroom on May 13 that he continued to Rebecca Grossman's home after passing through the intersection. He said Grossman called him shortly afterward and reported that something terrible had happened. He testified that he ran back toward the scene and stopped when he saw Grossman's wrecked SUV.

Erickson also stated he made calls to former MLB player Royce Clayton and others while waiting at the roadside. Under questioning from attorney Brian Panish, Erickson acknowledged uncertainty about his exact speed. He admitted he had lied to traffic investigators about how much he had drunk that night and had switched license plates on two vehicles for six years to avoid registration fees.

A jury in 2024 found Grossman guilty of two felony counts of murder, two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death. She was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. A California appeals court in March rejected Grossman's final attempt to overturn the conviction.

WhatsApp messages between Erickson and Grossman that surfaced in the civil case show the pair coordinating their accounts after the crash.