@meghannmcuniff: Retired Major League Baseball pitcher Scott Erickson on Wednesday disputed his former MLB competitor and friend Royce Clayton's testimony about a phone call they had shortly after Erickson's girlfriend killed two boys in a crosswalk while speeding in her SUV. Erickson was speeding near Rebecca Grossman when she struck 11-year-old Mark and 8-year-old Jacob Iskander with her 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG near Westlake Village, California, on Sept. 29, 2020. Grossman is in prison; prosecutors dismissed a misdemeanor reckless driving charge against Erickson after he recorded a public service announcement about safe driving. The boys' parents are suing for wrongful death. Jurors heard testimony last week from Royce Clayton, a retired MLB shortstop and friend of Erickson for 30 years. He was with Erickson and Grossman at a restaurant before the crash and planned to meet them at Grossman's home to eat tacos and watch the U.S. presidential debate. He spoke to Erickson on the phone after the crash, and he testified that Erickson told him they were "f***ing flying" and Grossman had struck the boys. Clayton also said he urged Erickson to contact police. Erickson testified on Wednesday (May 13) that he never told Clayton any of that. "You saw Rebecca Grossman hit the boys. That's what Royce Clayton testified that you told him. Isn't that true, sir?" Panish asked. "I never said that," Erickson answered. "Well, because if you do say that, then you're liable, aren't you?" Panish asked. Judge Huey Cotton overruled objections that the question was argumentative and called for a legal conclusion, and Erickson answered, "I don't know." Erickon said he hasn't spoken to Clayton recently and Panish asked, "You don't have any ill will towards Royce Clayton, do you?" "I do not speak to Royce," Erickson answered. "You have no ill will towards Royce Clayton, do you?" Panish asked. "Can you rephrase please?" Erickson answered. "Do you know what that means to have ill will?" Panish asked. "Yes," Erickson answered. "What does that mean to you?" Panish asked. "Not happy with," Erickson answered. "Okay. Do you have your will towards Royce Clayton? Yes or no?" Panish asked. "Yes, I'm not happy with Royce," Erickson answered. "Did you ever call Royce Clayton and say, 'Why did you say that? It's all false. You made it up,'" Panish asked. "I have not spoken to Royce in two years," Erickson answered. Judge Cotton had the court reporter strike Erickson's answer from the record because it didn't answer the question. Panish asked if Erickson has ever contacted Clayton to say, "Why did you say those things, that I told you we were racing and that we are effing flying and that Rebecca hit the kids?" "No," Erickson answered. You can watch Panish's entire 2 1/2 hour questioning of Erickson from Wednesday on my YouTube channel. #law #crime #court #driving

Meghann Cuniff

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Thursday 14 May 2026 13:18:45 GMT