The Bruce Jenner car accident happened on February 7, 2015, when Jenner — now known as Caitlyn Jenner — rear-ended another vehicle on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, setting off a chain-reaction crash that killed 69-year-old Kim Howe. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office declined to file criminal charges, concluding it could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Jenner drove unreasonably. Jenner later settled the civil lawsuits that followed, including an $800,000 settlement with an injured family from a fourth vehicle.
What Happened on Pacific Coast Highway
The crash occurred in the 26000 block of Pacific Coast Highway, near Corral Canyon Road. Jenner was driving a Cadillac Escalade and towing a dune buggy on a trailer. Traffic slowed in the northbound lanes. A Toyota Prius driven by Jessica Steindorff slowed or stopped, and a white Lexus driven by Kim Howe braked behind it. Jenner lifted off the gas and applied her brakes, but the Escalade rear-ended the Lexus.1Los Angeles Times. Charges Declined Against Caitlyn Jenner in Fatal PCH Crash
The impact pushed Howe’s Lexus across the center line into oncoming southbound traffic, where a Hummer H2 carrying the Wolf-Millesi family struck it head-on. Jenner’s SUV then continued forward and hit Steindorff’s Prius.2CNN. Caitlyn Jenner Accident Investigation Kim Howe died at the scene.3ABC7. Sheriffs Dept to Recommend Caitlyn Jenner Face Manslaughter Charge
Everyone inside the Hummer was injured. Peter Wolf-Millesi, his wife Lea, their two young sons (one just four weeks old), and Lea’s mother, Elga Maurer, were all hurt. Maurer, 73, suffered a cervical spine fracture. Peter reported nerve damage to both hands and wrists. Lea sustained injuries to her legs, neck, and back. Their infant son was unresponsive at the scene and transported to UCLA’s emergency room but was later found to have no lasting physical injury.4The Hollywood Reporter. Caitlyn Jenner Sued for Negligence
What Investigators Found
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department led the investigation. A public bus passing the scene had captured the collision on security cameras, and detectives obtained the footage from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority. The still images, shot from two angles, showed the Escalade striking the Lexus, the Lexus colliding with the Hummer, and then the Escalade hitting the Prius.5CBS News. Surveillance Video Shows Caitlyn Jenner Fatal Car Crash
Investigators confirmed no drivers were on their cellphones. Jenner voluntarily turned over her phone records. There was no evidence of impairment or distraction.6NBC News. Caitlyn Jenner Wont Be Charged in Fatal February Car Accident
According to the district attorney’s charge-evaluation worksheet, Jenner was traveling slightly below the posted speed limit and only marginally faster than Howe’s car. Howe engaged her brakes about 4.2 seconds before impact. Jenner released the gas and began to slow, then applied her brakes between 1.9 and 1.5 seconds before the collision.7Los Angeles Daily News. Caitlyn Jenner in the Clear, DA Declines to File Charges Accident reconstruction expert Daniel W. Vomhof noted that the trailer added weight that increased the Escalade’s stopping distance.8Los Angeles Times. Manslaughter Charge Recommended for Caitlyn Jenner in Fatal PCH Crash
Detective Richard Curry concluded that Jenner had been driving at a speed “unsafe for the road conditions,” even though she was not exceeding the limit. The sheriff’s department recommended that the DA file a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge. Investigators also recommended a misdemeanor charge against Steindorff for driving on a suspended license.3ABC7. Sheriffs Dept to Recommend Caitlyn Jenner Face Manslaughter Charge
Why the DA Declined to File Charges
On September 30, 2015, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office announced it would not charge Jenner. Prosecutors said the evidence was not sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that her conduct was unreasonable, and the office called even a misdemeanor charge “inappropriate.”9NBC Los Angeles. Caitlyn Jenner PCH Crash, Prosecutors Decline Charges
Misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter under California Penal Code Section 192(c) requires prosecutors to show that a driver committed an unlawful act, or a lawful act that could produce death, with at least ordinary negligence. The DA’s office found no evidence that Jenner violated any traffic laws. Braking a couple of seconds too late did not, on its own, meet the standard of criminal negligence prosecutors would have to prove at trial.10CapRadio. Was Caitlyn Jenner Released by a District Attorney After Killing Someone
That is why the sheriff’s recommendation and the DA’s decision pointed in different directions. Investigators develop the facts and recommend charges; prosecutors decide whether those facts can be proven in court beyond a reasonable doubt. Here, the DA concluded they could not.
The Civil Lawsuits and Settlements
Civil cases carry a lower burden of proof, a preponderance of the evidence. Three suits arose from the crash, and all three settled.
Wrongful Death Suit by Howe’s Stepchildren
Kim Howe’s stepchildren, William Howe and Dana Redmond, filed a wrongful death suit against Jenner in May 2015, alleging she had been “careless, negligent, and reckless.”11Variety. Caitlyn Jenner Settles Lawsuit Over Fatal Car Crash The case was dismissed in January 2016 after a settlement. The terms were not disclosed, though a source described the amount as “very modest” because of questions about the stepchildren’s legal standing to sue. Reporting indicated the money came from Jenner’s insurance rather than from Jenner directly.12KTLA. Caitlyn Jenner Settles Lawsuit With Stepchildren of Woman Killed in PCH Crash
Personal Injury Suit by Jessica Steindorff
Jessica Steindorff, the talent manager driving the Prius, sued in June 2015 in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity.13The Wrap. Caitlyn Jenner Settles Lawsuit With Driver in Fatal Malibu Car Crash The case settled in late December 2015 for an undisclosed amount.14ABC7 New York. Caitlyn Jenner Settles Lawsuit in Fatal Malibu Chain-Reaction Crash
Negligence Suit by the Wolf-Millesi Family
The Wolf-Millesi family filed a negligence suit against Jenner in December 2015 in Los Angeles Superior Court.15NBC Los Angeles. Settlement Reached in Caitlyn Jenner Traffic Crash16ABC News. Caitlyn Jenner to Pay $800,000 Settlement in 2015 Fatal Car Crash17Peoria Journal Star. Caitlyn Jenner Reportedly Will Pay $800,000 in Settlement
The $800,000 Wolf-Millesi settlement is the only figure that became public. The Howe and Steindorff terms were never disclosed, so the full amount Jenner and her insurers paid across the three cases is not publicly known.