Jessica Steindorff
Yahoo: Jessica Steindorff, the driver of the Prius involved in the fatal car crash in which Caitlyn Jenner was also a driver, is speaking out.
The talent manager, who attended Wednesday’s ESPY Awards as a guest, issued a statement exclusively to ET, denouncing the positive attention surrounding Jenner amid ongoing lawsuits relating to the crash.
“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 told ET. “For an individual who is such a positive role model in many aspects of her life, Caitlyn has failed to do the right thing and take responsibility for her actions.”
“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. Sadly we are living in a tabloid society,” she added.
In February, Jenner was involved in a fatal four-car accident in Malibu, California, that left one person dead. Last week, ET obtained surveillance footage from the crash, which may help investigators determine who was at fault.
Steindorff filed a personal injury lawsuit against Jenner, claiming she drove “negligently, carelessly, recklessly and wantonly,” causing the collision. She is seeking more than $25,000 in damages. Jenner was also named in a wrongful death suit filed May 1 by the stepchildren of the woman who died.
Jenner has not been charged with any crime and cooperated with authorities following the accident, passing a field sobriety test and volunteering to submit a blood sample for drug and alcohol testing. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department continues to investigate the case.
Jenner, who officially came out as transgender in a 20/20 interview back in April, was awarded the prestigious Arthur Ashe Award at the ESPYs and gave an emotional speech in her first public appearance. Her new docuseries, I Am Cait, premieres July 26 on E!
Jenner receives his/her courage award.
DCG
