A former magazine publisher has been arrested for allegedly killing two young brothers in a hit-and-run crash while under the influence of alcohol in California.
Rebecca Grossman, 57, who is a co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and DUI after smashing her speeding Mercedes into brothers, Mark and Jacob Iskander, in Westlake Village, police said.
Mark, 11, died at the scene while his nine-year-old brother, Jacob, died in hospital a few hours later.
The young boys were 'walking with their family' at the time of the tragedy, according to Capt Salvador Becerra of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
'It is a very tragic situation. The mother and father were able to pull the other two children back in time, and the vehicle struck the two other children,' Becerra said.
Rebecca Grossman, pictured with her husband Peter, has been arrested after allegedly smashing her speeding Mercedes into two young brothers in Los Angeles County, killing both
A photo shared by Malibu Lost Hill's Sheriffs shows the socialite's Mercedes with a smashed-up hood
Investigators said one boy was carried 100ft on the hood of the car before she braked, at which point he fell off the car and she ran him over again while fleeing the scene.
Investigators said street racing may have been involved and claim Grossman is not cooperating with detectives.
Grossman is part of the prominent Grossman family and along with her husband Peter, founded the Grossman Burn Foundation.
She is also the former publisher of Westlake Magazine.
Police said the crash took place at 7.10pm at the intersection of Triunfo Canyon Road and Saddle Mountain Drive.
Six family members were crossing the three-way intersection on a marked crosswalk on the road with no stoplight.
Rebecca is part of the prominent Grossman family and along with her husband Peter, founded the Grossman Burn Foundation
The mother heard the speeding Mercedes and both parents reached out to protect their children and grabbed two of them but the two brothers were too far away and were hit by the car, police said.
One of the boys was carried for more than 100ft down the road on the hood of her car before she hit the brakes, according to KABC.
The boy then rolled on to the street and she ran him over while leaving the scene before pulling over a mile and a half away, detectives said.
Grossman was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and DUI and her bail was set at $2million
Grossman was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and DUI and her bail was set at $2million.
Officials are also investigating whether she left the scene of the horrific crash.
A photo shared by police shows the front end of the silver Mercedes with a massive dent.
Investigators said street racing may have been involved and Grossman is not cooperating with detectives
Grossman's father-in-law, A. Richard Grossman, was the founder of the burn center in West Hills.
He began treating burn patients in 1969 and it is now one of the largest burn centers in the world.
