Bruce Jenner was involved in a multi-car accident that left one woman dead. According to Jenner’s publicist, he was not injured. The crash occurred on Saturday, Feb. 7 just after noon in Malibu, Ca. on Pacific Coast Highway. By Monday morning, the sheriff’s department was able to identify the woman as Calabasas, Ca. resident Kim Howe, 69. The car that struck Howe’s Lexus contained a family consisting of two parents and three children, who were later sent to the hospital. It was precautionary as no injuries were evident.
Initially, a Toyota Prius allegedly decelerated or came to an abrupt halt. As a result, Howe’s white Lexus hit the back of the Prius. Jenner, traveling in a Cadillac Escalade, was towing an off-road vehicle. Jenner rear-ended the Lexus, sending it into the middle of an intersection. “There is significant skid evidence to indicate that he did try to stop and was in the process of stopping before the collision,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Philip Brooks said. Sent into oncoming traffic, Howe was then hit by a Hummer H2. “My heartfelt and deepest sympathies go out to the family and loved ones and to all of those who were involved or injured in this terrible accident,” said Jenner’s publicist, Alan Nierob.
Originally, Jenner told police that the paparazzi were following him. “He’s used to it. He said he wasn’t trying to flee them. So as far as we’re concerned, they are not a factor at this time,” Brooks said. With further investigation, there was no sign that photographers were following him or that they caused the crash.
The case involving the death of a driver, according to CNN, “is being investigated as any ‘traffic incident involving a fatality’ would be.” It is unclear what distracted Jenner at the time he contributed to the accident. “Some say he had a cell phone in his hand. Some say he had a cigarette,” Brooks said. “[A] cigarette’s irrelevant because it’s not illegal to smoke while driving, so it’s just his cell phone records that we’re getting from his provider that will shed some light on the situation.” The sheriff’s office will examine all cell phone messages and phone calls. According to CNN, “California law prohibits driving while reading, writing or sending text messages. It also requires drivers to use hands-free equipment while talking on the phone.”
The media publicizes incidents like this to “fill the gossip columns” according to Neal Gabler, senior fellow of The Norman Lear Center. He has delved into the ideas of the “new celebrity.” Celebrities today are not publicized for a true talent, but are recognized for small, average achievements. It might not be the best or most important news, but “stars generate a narrative because they are much more likely to be at the center of the action,” Gabler said. Many times even the idea that a person could generate a narrative is enough to put them into the spotlight. “You don’t need a great story to be a celebrity any more than a movie needs a great script to be a film,” Gabler said. Those who caught the spotlight “remained a celebrity because he, or history, kept adding new chapters to it.”
The biggest issue lies in Jenner’s celebrity status. If he is responsible for Howe’s death, he will never have to suffer like an average person. Prison Legal News states, “there are two criminal justice systems in the United States. One is for people with wealth, fame or influence who can afford to hire top-notch attorneys and public relations firms… and who enjoy certain privileges due to their celebrity status or the size of their bank accounts. The other justice system is for everybody else.”
Many jails in Los Angeles have fees for jail accommodations: for as much as $145 a day, wealthy convicts can have access to phones, the Internet and even have their own food brought in. It is clear that the repercussions for their actions would not register with this kind of treatment. The result of this accident, according to CNN, “could take up to six months before a final determination of fault, if any, is made in this case,” Brooks said. In the end, because of the depth of his pockets, Jenner might never have to face up to his negligent driving that ultimately took another human life, that of Howe.
