A Los Angeles jury has convicted former nurse Nicole Linton of six counts of second-degree murder for a 2022 crash that killed six people, including a pregnant woman and her unborn child. The jury reached its verdict Friday after only about three hours of deliberation, finding Linton guilty on all charges.
Prosecutors argued Linton was conscious and deliberately accelerated toward the intersection of La Brea and Slauson avenues on August 4, 2022, reaching approximately 130 mph in a 35-mph zone. The light had been red for 15 seconds before she barreled through it, striking multiple vehicles and setting three ablaze. “She chose to do this. She did it knowingly and, most importantly, she was conscious,” Deputy District Attorney Antonella Nistorescu told jurors. The Nicole Linton guilty verdict came after a three-week trial that centered on whether she suffered a seizure or acted out of rage after leaving her nursing shift mid-day.
The victims were Asherey Ryan, 23, who was 8½ months pregnant; her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero; her boyfriend Reynold Lester, 24; their unborn son Armani; and Nathesia Lewis, 43, and Lynette Noble, 38, who were in another vehicle. Linton’s defense argued she suffered a seizure and was unconscious at the time of the crash, with no evidence of drugs or alcohol in her system. Prosecutors countered that Linton had bipolar disorder, had not taken her medication or slept for days, and had a history of erratic driving when off her medication. Linton faces a potential sentence of 90 years to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for December 1.
