A woman who ran a red light at 130 mph, resulting in a crash that claimed the lives of six individuals, including an unborn child, has been found guilty of six counts of second-degree murder. This verdict was delivered on Friday after jurors spent just three hours deliberating in a Los Angeles courtroom. The incident occurred on August 4, 2022, at the intersection of La Brea and Slauson avenues.
Nicole Linton, 41, is set to be sentenced on December 1.
Linton’s attorney argued that she experienced a seizure which prevented her from controlling her Mercedes-Benz prior to the incident.
The victims included 23-year-old Asherey Ryan from Los Angeles, who was eight and a half months pregnant, along with her unborn child, her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero, and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Reynold Lester. They were in a Jaguar that was described as being split “in half” due to the crash. Additionally, Nathesia Lewis, 43, and her friend Lynette Noble, 38, lost their lives in the tragic event.
Following the crash, Linton and nine other individuals were injured. Prosecutors highlighted Linton’s decision to leave her job as a traveling nurse that day, implying that she intentionally accelerated toward the intersection. They also pointed to her diagnosis of bipolar disorder and her alleged neglect of medication, as well as previous aggressive behavior. In a past incident in 2016, she reportedly struck a woman and fled at high speed, disregarding traffic lights.
During the trial, Deputy Medical Examiner Vadims Poukens confirmed that all six victims died from traumatic injuries, with three suffering burns after death. Initially, Linton faced six murder charges along with five counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, but the latter charges were dropped before the trial began. Linton has been in jail without bail since her arrest by the California Highway Patrol on the day of the crash.
While Linton did not testify in her defense, her sister Camille has defended her on a website dedicated to supporting her, claiming that the crash was a tragic accident rather than a deliberate act.
