Former major leaguer Scott Erickson and his then-lover, Rebecca Grossman, are facing a wrongful death lawsuit owing to a tragic hit-and-run case. And last week, Royce Clayton took the stand in a California courtroom to testify against Erickson.

In September 2020, the two were allegedly recklessly racing their SUVs (reportedly, 81 miles per hour) down Triunfo Canyon Road in Westlake Village, California, when Grossman’s car fatally struck two young brothers in a marked crosswalk. On Friday, the former Red Sox shortstop Royce Clayton, Erickson’s friend for 30 years, reportedly detailed a four-minute phone call he had with Erickson 15 to 20 minutes after the crash.

While recounting the incidents that followed, Clayton fought to maintain his composure.

According to the NY Post, Clayton told the jurors that Erickson allegedly told him over the phone, “There’s been a horrible accident. You can’t come.”

Per Clayton’s testimony, he had a few drinks with Erickson and Grossman at Julio’s Agave restaurant in Westlake Village before the accident. They also made plans to meet at Grossman’s place later. However, when Clayton called for directions to her place, Erickson informed him about the accident.

Clayton also disclosed that he had no contact with Erickson after the accident. He believes his former friend should have shown accountability rather than fleeing the scene.

Brian Panish, the attorney representing the parents of victims Mark and Jacob Iskander, reportedly questioned Clayton on Friday.

Panish asked, “Did Mr. Erickson tell you on the phone that night that he and Ms. Grossman were racing down the street… He saw the children in the crosswalk. He swerved, and she hit the children?”

“I don’t know if he used the word racing. But they were traveling at a high rate of speed. She was directly behind him. And he said as he came up to the crosswalk, he saw the children —,” Clayton broke down in tears recalling the incident, and the judge called for a break.

“He swerved and kept going. He went to her house [Grossman’s nearby lakeside home]….and decided to jog back to the scene of the accident,” stated a teary-eyed Clayton after pulling himself together, per the NY Post.

The courtroom testimony also revealed that Clayton saw Erickson eating a burger and drinking a beer in Malibu less than 24 hours after the tragedy. Clayton also read to the jury a text message Erickson sent him after the accident.

“Hey dude…I’m drinking your last IPA you left here at the house…Nothing to worry about.”

With his 17-year MLB career, the Boston Red Sox added Royce Clayton to their roster in 2007 for veteran infield depth, serving as their backup shortstop. While he didn’t appear in the postseason that year, the clubhouse awarded him with the ring in April 2008. Starting their professional career just one year apart, the game brought Clayton and Erickson close, just for it to end in a tragic accident.

Now, Clayton seems ambivalent about Erickson. He has even revealed that their friendship ended after the incident.

In 2024, the court sentenced Grossman to 15 years to life in prison, while Erickson, who initially faced a misdemeanor, avoided jail time. However, the parents of the deceased children have appealed to a civil court, trying to prove Erickson guilty as well.

What happened on September 29, 2020?

Scott Erickson and Rebecca Grossman were allegedly racing their cars after having drinks during lunch when Rebecca hit Mark, 11, and Jacob, 8, Iskander.

Erickson had reportedly swerved the mother and the children on the crosswalk, while Grossman hit them fatally. But reportedly, neither stayed back at the crime scene to take accountability.

Royce Clayton told the jury that Erickson had shared that the two of them were “f—ing flying” at the time of the accident.

A jury convicted Grossman of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one count of hit-and-run driving.

During the trial, her attorneys had reportedly tried to argue that Grossman had not seen the children at all. They had dubbed the deadly crash a “tragic, horrible accident.” She is currently serving her prison sentence after the 2024 trial.

However, after Erickson delivered a public service announcement to high school students about the importance of safe driving, authorities reportedly dropped the reckless driving charges against him. While Erickson is denying his involvement, shifting the blame solely to Grossman, Nancy and Karim Iskander believe he is also responsible for their children’s deaths and have named him in their civil lawsuit. They are reportedly seeking tens of millions in damages for their children’s deaths.

Now in its second week, the trial is expected to last two months. Erickson himself will likely take the stand at some point, the first time to publicly discuss his role in the fatal collision.