February 7, 2015, started like any other Saturday in Malibu. The sun was out, the Pacific Coast Highway was humming with its usual mix of local traffic and weekend cruisers, and then, in a split second, everything went sideways. It’s the kind of moment that changes lives forever. For Kim Howe, a 69-year-old neighbor in the Calabasas community, it was her last moment. For the world, it became the bruce jenner vehicle accident, a tragic pile-up that dominated headlines just as the Olympic legend was transitioning into life as Caitlyn Jenner.
Honestly, the details were messy from the jump. You’ve probably heard a dozen different versions of what happened that afternoon on the PCH. Some people swear it was the paparazzi’s fault. Others think it was just a case of an aging star losing focus. But the police reports and the lawsuits that followed paint a much more mechanical, almost mundane picture of how a few seconds of "unsafe speed" can lead to a catastrophe.
The Chain Reaction on the PCH
It wasn't a simple fender bender. This was a four-car collision that looked like a scene from a movie, only there were no stunts and the consequences were very real. Around 12:12 PM, traffic began to stall near Corral Canyon Road. A Toyota Prius, driven by a Hollywood talent manager named Jessica Steindorff, came to a stop in the northbound lane. Behind her was Kim Howe in a white Lexus sedan.
Then came Jenner.
Driving a black Cadillac Escalade and towing a trailer with an off-road vehicle—basically a massive amount of weight to stop—Jenner approached the line of cars. While the investigation later showed she was driving under the speed limit (roughly 38 mph in a 45 mph zone), "safe speed" is relative. When you're hauling a dune buggy on a trailer, you need way more lead time to brake than a standard SUV.
Jenner slammed into the back of Howe’s Lexus. The impact was so violent it propelled the Lexus across the center line and directly into the path of a southbound Hummer H2.
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The Hummer, driven by Peter Wolf-Millesi, hit Howe’s car head-on. Kim Howe died at the scene. It was a brutal, high-speed impact that left the Lexus unrecognizable. Jenner’s Escalade didn't stop there, though; it continued forward and struck Steindorff’s Prius as well. Five children and two other adults ended up in the hospital. Jenner walked away physically unhurt but clearly shaken, seen by photographers standing by the wreckage in a baseball cap and sunglasses.
Why No Criminal Charges?
This is where people usually get fired up. How does someone cause a death and not go to jail?
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office spent months looking at this. They scrutinized everything: cell phone records, brake data, and even footage from a passing MTA bus that caught the whole thing on camera. That bus video was the "smoking gun" that showed Jenner’s Escalade hitting the Lexus first, which debunked early rumors that the Lexus had hit the Prius before Jenner even arrived.
Basically, the D.A. decided they couldn't prove "gross negligence."
In California, to get a vehicular manslaughter conviction, you usually have to show the driver was doing something truly reckless—texting, speeding excessively, or driving drunk. Jenner passed a field sobriety test and voluntarily gave a blood sample at the station. The phone records showed she wasn't texting at the time of impact.
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The investigators concluded she was driving at an "unsafe speed for the conditions," but because she wasn't breaking the actual posted speed limit and hit the brakes about 1.5 to 1.9 seconds before impact, it didn't meet the threshold for a crime. It was ruled a tragic accident, not a criminal act.
The Civil Fallout and the $800,000 Payout
Just because the cops didn't cuff her doesn't mean Jenner got off easy. The legal battles lasted for years. You had the stepchildren of Kim Howe, Dana Redmond and William Howe, filing a wrongful death suit. Jenner’s lawyers fought this hard, arguing the stepchildren weren't financially dependent on Kim and therefore didn't have "standing" to sue. That case was eventually settled for an undisclosed, likely modest amount.
Then there was the Wolf-Millesi family in the Hummer. They claimed physical and emotional trauma, especially since their infant child was briefly unresponsive after the crash.
The Settlement Breakdown
Eventually, the money started moving. In 2018, it came out that Jenner reached a settlement with the Wolf-Millesi family. It wasn't just a lump sum; it was structured:
- $500,000 went to Elga Maurer, the mother-in-law who was seriously injured.
- $100,000 each for Peter and Lea Wolf-Millesi.
- $50,000 each for their two sons.
- $250,000 roughly covered the legal fees.
Jessica Steindorff, the woman in the Prius, also settled her lawsuit back in 2015. While the exact numbers there stayed quiet, the total financial hit to Jenner was significant, though most of it was likely covered by insurance.
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Lessons From the bruce jenner vehicle accident
It’s easy to look at this as just another celebrity scandal, but there are some pretty sobering takeaways for anyone who spends time behind the wheel. The PCH is a beautiful road, but it’s notorious for these kinds of "stop-and-go" traps where the speed limit says one thing but the traffic flow says another.
First, towing changes everything. If you are hauling a trailer, your following distance needs to triple. Physics doesn't care who you are; a heavy load pushed by momentum isn't going to stop on a dime because a Prius braked for a squirrel or a light.
Second, "legal speed" isn't always "safe speed." This was the crux of the whole investigation. You can be doing 10 under the limit and still be held liable if you aren't accounting for weather, visibility, or the weight of your vehicle.
Third, insurance matters. Experts who analyzed the bruce jenner vehicle accident often point out that high-net-worth individuals need massive umbrella policies. If Jenner hadn't been wealthy or well-insured, this accident could have bankrupted her. For the average person, it’s a reminder that the "minimum" state coverage is almost never enough for a multi-car pile-up.
Practical Steps for High-Stakes Driving
- Check your following distance: Use the "three-second rule," and double it if you're in a heavy SUV or towing.
- Dash cams are vital: In this case, an MTA bus video cleared up the timeline. Having your own footage can protect you from false claims.
- Review your liability limits: Most people carry $50,000 or $100,000 in liability. In a fatal accident with multiple cars, that’s gone in minutes. Look into an umbrella policy; they are surprisingly cheap for the peace of mind they offer.
- Eyes on the road: Even though Jenner wasn't texting, those two seconds of "unsafe speed" were the difference between a normal drive and a fatal crash.
The story of the bruce jenner vehicle accident eventually faded as the media shifted focus to her transition and "I Am Cait," but for the families involved, the impact remains. It’s a reminder that on the road, celebrity status offers no protection against the laws of motion or the permanence of a mistake.
Next Steps for Your Safety:
Check your current auto insurance policy today to see if your "Bodily Injury Liability" covers at least $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident. If you own a home or have significant savings, call your agent and ask for an "Umbrella Policy" quote—it usually costs less than $300 a year for $1 million in extra protection.