The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined today to file any charges against the former Bruce Jenner in connection with a fatal February traffic collision on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.
Prosecutors cited a lack of sufficient evidence to proceed with a case against Jenner, who is now living as a woman known as Caitlyn Jenner.
“Based on facts, (the prosecution) cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that suspect’s conduct was unreasonable,” according to a charge- evaluation worksheet prepared the D.A.’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials investigating the Feb. 7 crash concluded that Jenner was driving at an unsafe speed when the collision occurred on Pacific Coast Highway near Corral Canyon Road. Sheriff’s officials said Jenner was not speeding, but was driving at an unsafe speed for the road conditions.
Jenner potentially could have faced a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge. Sheriff’s officials submitted their investigation to the District Attorney’s Office in late August.
Surveillance video of the crash released in July appears to show the ex- Olympian rear-ending a white Lexus, which is forced into oncoming traffic and slams into an oncoming Hummer, killing the Lexus driver.
Relatives of the Lexus driver, 69-year-old Kim Howe, have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Jenner, who was not injured in the crash and now identifies as a woman.
Jenner, 65, was driving a Cadillac Escalade, hauling an off-road vehicle on a trailer. Shortly after the crash, authorities said it appeared that Howe’s Lexus had crashed into a black Toyota Prius whose driver had slowed or stopped for unknown reasons, prompting Jenner to rear-end the Lexus, pushing it into the path of the Hummer.
The video released in July appeared to show Jenner rear-ending the Lexus, pushing it into oncoming traffic, then striking the Prius, which was driven by Hollywood talent manager Jessica Marie Steindorff. Steindorff has also sued Jenner over the crash.
Jenner’s attorney, Philip Boesch, told City News Service in July he believes the surveillance video weighs in Jenner’s favor and confirmed that the crash “was simply a tragic accident.”
According to the D.A.’s charge-evaluation worksheet, “While driving on PCH and towing a dune buggy, suspect rear-ended victim’s vehicle causing the victim’s car to veer into opposing traffic where victim’s car was hit by a second vehicle, resulting in her death.”
“Suspect was traveling at a speed slightly below posted speed limit and minimally slower than victim,” according to the worksheet. “At 4.2 seconds before impact, victim engaged her brakes and started to slow. Suspect disengaged gas pedal and his car started to slow. Suspect engaged brakes within 1.9 to 1.5 seconds before impact. Crime requires violation of misdemeanor or infraction. Only possible violation is VC 22350, a violation of the basic speed law. Crime also requires ordinary negligence. Based on facts, cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that suspect’s conduct was unreasonable.”
Shortly after the February crash, Jenner released a statement saying, “My heartfelt and deepest sympathies go out to the family and loves ones, and to all of those who were involved or injured in this terrible accident. It’s a devastating tragedy and I cannot pretend to imagine what this family is going through at this time. I am praying for them. I will continue to cooperate in every way possible.”
