Nurse Nicole Lorraine Linton pleads not guilty in fiery crash that killed six at Windsor Hills intersection

LOS ANGELES (CNS) — A nurse pleaded not guilty to charges of high-speed murder and vehicular manslaughter. Fiery crash at Windsor Hills intersection incident that killed six people, including an unborn baby, two years ago.

Nicole Lorraine Linton, now 39, was sentenced to prison without bail in connection with the crash that occurred on August 4, 2022, at the intersection of La Brea and Slauson avenues.

After the hearing, which included approximately 10 days of testimony and two days of defense by the lawyers, it was decided that he would be brought to court on August 2 for gross negligence on six counts of murder and five counts of intentional homicide.

Much of this hearing focused on Linton’s history of strange behavior in the years before the accident; Internet searches that the judge said were “full of questions about suicide” and “Can you see your death coming?” and “Why do I feel like death is near?” three days before the collision.

Investigators determined Linton’s black Mercedes-Benz was traveling 130 mph at the time of the crash, which occurred after the vehicle ran a red light. The collision and the violent incident that followed were captured on the security camera of a nearby workplace.

Caleb Mason, one of Linton’s former lawyers, argued earlier this year that technical data (along with the opinions of the neurologist who later examined him at the defense’s request) revealed his client had suffered a seizure on the side of the road. up to the intersection.

Among those killed in the crash were 23-year-old Los Angeles resident Asherey Ryan, who relatives said was 8.5 months pregnant, her unborn child, who will be named Armani Lester, and her 11-month-old son Alonzo. Quintero, who was in the Jaguar, and her boyfriend, Reynold Lester, 24, of Los Angeles, were “split in half,” according to testimony by California Highway Patrol Inspector Hector Castaneda.

Nathesia Lewis, 43, and her friend Lynette Noble, 38, who were in the Nissan, were also killed.

Nine people, including Linton, were injured in the collision and its aftermath, which involved a total of nine vehicles.

The CHP investigator testified that data from Linton’s Mercedes-Benz showed that the vehicle was traveling at 192 mph five seconds before the crash and reached 130 mph at the time of the crash, and that the accelerator pedal was depressed for five seconds before the crash.

CHP Patrol Officer Jeffrey Crain testified that there are numerous curves along La Brea where a driver would have to swerve to maintain position on the road, and said investigators obtained surveillance video from a business that showed a vehicle consistent with Linton’s 2018 Mercedes-Benz. He said it appeared to be accelerating, estimating the initial speed to be 55 mph less than 20 seconds before impact and 64 mph thereafter. He said it took the vehicle 17 seconds to cover a half-mile distance; This was something that should have taken about 40 seconds in a 45 mph zone.

Crain noted that the light was red for about 15 seconds before the crash.

“It’s graphic,” he said of a redacted photo of the crash scene.

Mason told Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter earlier this year that his client did not have a mental state consistent with murder and said the vast majority of the internet searches were made years before the crash.

The defense attorney called the deaths “horrible and tragic” but said “that doesn’t mean it was murder.”

Deputy District Attorney Brittany Vannoy said it was “undoubted” that Linton caused the deaths, citing driving that was dangerous to human life.

The prosecutor described Linton as a “ticking time bomb” and said Linton got behind the wheel of his car despite being well aware of his “triggers” such as stress and lack of sleep. A Houston police officer’s patrol car in 2018. She stopped taking her medication before she started working as a travel nurse, the prosecutor said.

Vannoy said Linton’s online searches for “imminent death” were evidence that he was “actively considering the act of suicide.”

The judge noted that evidence of Linton’s previous incidents showed that his anger had turned into aggression, and that Linton had left lunch at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center on the day of the accident while he was “stressed” and “had all these triggering symptoms.” anger.”

Hunter said he knew the defendant had undergone EEG testing recommended by doctors after the accident to determine whether he was having a seizure, and that he had “certain movements and gestures” while being triggered during the test, but the raw data showed whether he was having a seizure. “no seizures.”

The judge noted that the defendant admitted to lying on other occasions and said, “I don’t know if this was malingering or not, but an argument can certainly be made for that.”

Linton broke down in tears on the second day of the trial when a witness described hearing “a bomb or something like that” and then seeing “a big black cloud in front of me” and “something that looked like one of those things.” apocalyptic movies.”

Linton burst into tears again when prosecutors showed a photo of smoke clouds rising from the crash scene. The judge warned him, “I don’t want anyone crying in here. … We’ll give him a second to compose himself.” When the hearing resumed minutes later, Linton kept his head down as prosecutors played dramatic security video showing the crash.

Isabel Schrama, an EMT who encountered the accident while she and her partner were on their way to another call, testified that she was riding in an ambulance with Linton as he was taken to the hospital and that a paramedic told her “there were multiple other people.” There were cars and people dying.”

“Did I kill people? Did I hurt people?” he asked. Schrama testified, adding that the defendant was a little “scared” and seemed “really worried,” but was eventually able to give his own name and date of birth.

Paramedic Richard Jimenez, who arrived at the scene of the crash, said Linton’s “mental state had changed” but he eventually remembered his name and age but could not remember how the accident happened.

The prosecutor asked the paramedic: “Have you seen any other victims who could not be saved?” he asked.

“That’s right,” the paramedic replied.

Dr., a psychiatry assistant who met with Linton twice at the hospital after the accident. Kristen Lee said Linton told her she remembered crying while driving but wasn’t sure why. He said the defendant denied any idea of ​​suicide or murder, had two previous “psychological” hospitalizations and had a previous history of bipolar disorder.

He said he was later called back to speak to Linton and Linton said: “I’m a murderer. I’m a murderer. The police told me I killed all these people.” He said Linton described what happened as a “nightmare” and just wanted to wake up.

One of his sisters, Camille, wrote on a website supporting Linton that the crash “was not intentional, it was a tragic accident.”

“He is someone we love so much, and right now so many people see him as a monster and a murderer, yet he is one of the most caring and caring people we know.”