Caitlyn Jenner has yet to be charged for her role in a fatal car crash on the Pacific Coast Highway back in February, but the reality star could be on the hook for $18.5 million for the wreck that claimed the life of a woman.
Lawyers for the five occupants in the Hummer struck after Caitlyn caused a chain-reaction crash have filed a lawsuit against Jenner, TMZ reported . The occupants have filed an identical suit against Kim Howe, the 69-year-old woman who was killed in the crash.
As the New York Daily News noted, Caitlyn Jenner is already facing another lawsuit related to the crash.
“Jessica Steindorff, a 29-year-old woman who was driving a Prius involved in the crash, sued Caitlyn back in June for property damage and personal injury, and Howe’s stepchildren have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the transgender reality star,” the report noted.
Jessica Steindorff has been quite critical of Jenner, including accepting ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the same time of the crash investigation.
“I find it difficult to understand how the culture we live in can honor a person who is responsible for taking a life and injuring several others with both an award and a reality show,” Steindorff said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight .
“I would hope that someone who seems to greatly value the importance of human existence would be more sensitive to the fact that she ended another person’s life,” she said.
The report added that Caitlyn Jenner has moved to have the lawsuit from Howe’s stepchildren thrown out, and may have a good case given the fact that the stepchildren did not have a close relationship with Howe.
While she fights the civil charges, Caitlyn Jenner could still be pulled into criminal court for her role in the fatal crash. Last week detectives finished their six-month investigation, and Dr. Richard Curry of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said there was a “50/50” chance she would be charged.
The investigation concluded that though Caitlyn Jenner was traveling below the speed limit, she was going too fast for road conditions. Traffic had either slowed or stopped when Jenner struck Howe’s Lexus. Reports indicate that Jenner was not on the phone or texting at the time of the crash.
The district attorney in Los Angeles has still not announced if Caitlyn Jenner will be charged, but TMZ has reported that criminal charges are considered not likely.
[Picture by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
