New details have emerged in the case of a registered nurse facing 90 years behind bars for a fiery crash last month in Los Angeles that killed six people, including an unborn baby and an 11-month-old child.
Nicole Linton, who’s been charged with six counts of murder and five counts of gross vehicular manslaughter in connection to the multi-vehicle wreck, was driving a stunning 130 mph for at least five seconds before the incident, court documents claim.
“Further analysis reveals that her speed at impact was in fact 130 mph and that she floored the gas pedal for at least the 5 seconds leading into the crash, going from 122 mph to 130 mph,” a court filing obtained by the Los Angeles Times said.
The prosecution dismissed the defense team’s claim that Linton was unconscious during the crash, stating that the registered nurse had “complete control over steering, maintaining the tilt of the steering wheel to keep her car traveling directly toward the crowded intersection.”
“This NASCAR-worthy performance flies in the face of the notion that she was unconscious or incapacitated,” the filing added.
Linton allegedly zoomed down La Brea Avenue at 90 mph in her Mercedes-Benz, blasting through a red light as dozens of cars crossed Slauson Avenue. Video footage shows the vehicle t-boning a black sedan and starting a raging fire by a nearby gas station.
Last week, a court filing argued that the 37-year-old was dealing with a “frightening” mental health crisis at the time of the incident and may have even lost consciousness, according to the New York Post.
“Mental incapacitation and unconsciousness are, of course, complete defenses to crimes under California law,” the nurse’s defense team said.
Linton was also allegedly fully naked while on a FaceTime call with her sister during her lunch break on August 4, the day of the crash, court filings say.
The deadly crash took the lives of six people, including pregnant mother Asherey Ryan, her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero, and her boyfriend Reynold Lester, who were all on their way to a prenatal checkup. The unborn child was 8 ½ months along and set to be named Armani Lester.
The other two victims were friends Nathesia Lewis, 42, and Lynette Noble, 38. The injuries to Lewis’ body were so severe that she could reportedly only be identified by DNA.
“She has to pay for what she did,” Lewis’ boyfriend Clarence “Moezart” Hamlin said of Linton. “She can’t get away with this.”
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Brandon Drey contributed to this report
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