Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials today submitted their investigation of a fatal Malibu traffic crash involving Caitlyn Jenner to the District Attorney’s Office, which will determine if a criminal case is warranted.
The District Attorney’s Major Crimes Division will review the potential case against Jenner, according to Greg Risling of the District Attorney’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials said last week their investigation determined that Jenner, then known as Bruce Jenner, was driving at an unsafe speed when the Feb. 7 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.
The investigation could potentially lead to a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge, but prosecutors will have the final say on what charge, if any, is warranted.
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.
A sheriff’s official told the Los Angeles Times that Steindorff was driving on a suspended license at the time of the crash, and she could face a criminal charge.
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.”
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.”
