Rebecca Gayheart Plows Through "Rush Hour" Premiere

16. On 2001-06-13, Gayheart struck and killed nine-year-old Jorge Cruz Jr. as he crossed a Los Angeles-area street. According to the police report, the child was walking home from school and crossed the street. While several cars stopped to let him go, Gayheart swerved around them and into a two-way left-turn lane, striking the boy. Her attorney, Steven Lerman, subsequently admitted Gayheart had been using a cell phone during impact.[1]

Cruz died the next day at Los Angeles Children's Hospital. His parents, Jorge Cruz and Silvia Martinez, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit on 2001-08-06 against her, seeking coverage of medical and funeral expenses, and compensation for loss of future earnings. The lawsuit was settled out of court, and settlement terms were not disclosed.[1] On 2001-11-27, she pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter. She was sentenced to three years probation, a one-year suspension of her license, a $2,800 fine, and 750 hours of community service. She was also ordered to make a public-service announcement.

Gayheart was represented in the criminal proceeding by Harland Braun.

Later that year, she flipped a rental car into two parked cars with her father commenting that, "I've told my wife not to let her drive any more."[2]

Posted at 2:34PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Petite

17. dizzy broad...got off easy. poor kid.

Posted at 2:37PM on Jul 31st 2007 by smilesarefree

18. Sorry Rebecca- you'll never live this one down- murderer!
Get off the GD cell phones, people!!!

Posted at 2:38PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Petite

19. She makes me sick!

Posted at 2:39PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Get Back to Work

20. If I ran over a child and killed him, there would be no more happy days left in my life. It kinda makes me sick to see her so happy.

Posted at 2:40PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Petite

21. To treat the death of a child so blase is just sick. This piece of garbage should be in prison for manslaughter not on a red carpet. She got a slap on the wrist after running over a 6 year old child, probably because he was Mexican and not very important in CA. She wasn't drinking, she was only on her cell phone. Typical self-obsessed wannabe actress. She is a disgrace. I won't watch the show simply because she is connected to it. MURDERER.

Posted at 3:18PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Kate

22. This chick ignored that traffic had stopped because, after all, she is a celebrity and should not have to be held up like the commoners, and while using a cell phone WHILE ignoring stopped traffic, she KILLS this kid AND doesn't do time in jail???? Paris Hilton gets a jail sentence, and this nasty creature KILLS a child and gets no jail time. No wonder this bitch is always smiling, she killed a child and beat the system. Paris should have had her lawyer, and Nicole should certainly be trying to hire the conscience-free scum that got Gayheart off.

Posted at 2:42PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Demitri

23. 22: I'll forward this to Al Sharpton so it's ready when Brandy is tried. Thanks!

Posted at 4:23PM on Jul 31st 2007 by The Shoparazzi

24. she was on a phone when she killed a child. i hate seeing her picture. she doesn't deserve happiness. that poor family.

Posted at 2:44PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Laura

25. I agree PETITE. I would be haunted for the rest of my and feel guilt ever time I was happy. She doesn't seem to be having that trouble.

Posted at 2:50PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Lexxi

26. She murdered a young boy because this celebrishit thought she was too important to wait at a red light. She should be spending her life in prison, instead she is at premiers and getting pictures taken of her murderous ass. She doesn't seem too concerned about taking the life of a child.

Posted at 3:02PM on Jul 31st 2007 by yuk

27. The child was J-walking across a busy highway. Was she reckless? Sure. Did she mean to actually kill someone? NO. Should the woman suffer her entire life for one mistake? She wasn't driving drunk, just driving stupid.

I did not know about the 2nd accident. I would be afraid to ever drive again if I were her. But I think people should lay off.

It is very sad for the family. I am constantly yelling at my kids about crossing the street and to never J-walk, even if cars are stopping for you-go to the corner.

Posted at 3:29PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Mary Mac

28. This piece of garbage makes me sick. She sould be walking the red carpet in Lynwood.

Posted at 3:51PM on Jul 31st 2007 by truth teller

29. With all of the problems going on with "hollywood's bad behavior actors," I cannot believe that this woman is even working in the industry. From what I recall, and I may be incorrect, wasn't this person, Gayhart, too impatient to wait at a school crosswalk, and punched her SUV around the other cars and tragically plowed into a youngster, killing him??? While she apparently "paid" for the funeral expenses, did she do any time??? I mean, c'mon! I seem to recall that when my kids were in school, there were constantly cops hiding with radar as the 15MPH light blinked...and spent thirty minutes pulling over speeders and probably making thier daily quotas. This, however, goes beyond that...BOYCOTT HER WORK!!! As usual, another outrageous action by a "hollywood celeb..."

Kat Ramone

Posted at 3:27PM on Jul 31st 2007 by Kat Ramone

30. The "accident" comments were in VERY poor taste.

Posted at 3:33PM on Jul 31st 2007 by jc