Nurse Convicted in 130-Mph Crash That Killed 6

Six Murder Convictions Follow the Windsor Hills Crash

Nicole Linton was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder on October 2 for the 2022 Windsor Hills crash that killed a pregnant woman, her infant son, her boyfriend, her unborn child and two other women. Prosecutors said her car entered the intersection at 130 mph.

The Los Angeles jury returned its verdict after about three hours of deliberations. Linton, 41, faces sentencing on December 1, according to ABC7’s verdict coverage. She had pleaded not guilty before the trial.

Asherey Ryan and her family were traveling to a prenatal appointment when their vehicle was struck. Nathesia Lewis and Lynette Noble, friends in another vehicle, were on a shopping trip, the district attorney’s office said.

Linton’s defense argued that a medical emergency caused her to lose consciousness while driving. Prosecutors disputed that explanation and presented evidence they said showed deliberate acceleration and awareness of the road.

Ordinary Trips Crossed the Intersection

The collision occurred on August 4, 2022, at La Brea and Slauson avenues. Linton had left work early from her nursing shift in Los Angeles about 18 minutes before the crash, according to prosecutors.

Ryan, 23, was eight and a half months pregnant. Her 11-month-old son, Alonzo Quintero, her boyfriend, Reynold Lester, and the unborn child, Armani, were also killed.

Lewis and Noble were traveling together in a separate car. Other people, including Linton, were injured in the multi-vehicle collision, according to the local trial coverage.

The red light had been showing for approximately 15 seconds before Linton entered the intersection, prosecutors said. Surveillance recordings of the collision became part of the evidence presented to the jury.

Prosecutors and Defense Disputed Her Awareness

Prosecutors presented evidence that Linton increased her speed as she drove downhill and continued steering before the impact. They argued that her driving reflected conscious disregard for the lives of people in the intersection.

Deputy District Attorney Antonella Nistorescu pointed to the vehicle’s movement and the period of acceleration. The prosecution also relied on testimony about Linton’s behavior and statements surrounding her departure from work.

Defense attorney Jovan Blacknell argued that a sudden seizure left Linton unconscious at the wheel. A neurologist testified that evidence concerning her arm position was consistent with a seizure, according to FOX 11’s trial account.

The defense also said there was no evidence she was impaired by alcohol or drugs, using her phone or racing another driver. Those positions formed part of its challenge to the prosecution’s account of her state of mind.

Prosecutors disputed the medical explanation. Earlier ABC7 reporting said they relied in part on the observations of emergency doctors who treated Linton after the crash and did not report signs they considered evidence of a seizure.

Linton did not testify in her own defense, FOX 11 reported. Five vehicular-manslaughter counts originally filed in the case had been dismissed before trial, leaving the six murder counts decided by the jury.

Families Respond to the Verdict

Relatives attended the proceedings over several weeks. After the guilty verdicts, family members embraced and spoke publicly about the outcome and the losses they continued to face.

Jasmond Nelson, Lewis’s sister, told ABC7 she was grateful for accountability after the long wait. She also said the verdict did not end her grief or mean the family would stop missing those who died.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman identified the six victims in his statement following the verdict. He said the decision could not bring them back but recognized their lives and the impact on their families.

The conviction completes the jury phase of the case. The next court date identified in the verdict reporting is the December 1 sentencing, when the judge is expected to determine Linton’s punishment for the six murder convictions.

References: Jury Convicts Nurse of Murdering Four Adults, Infant and Unborn Child in 130-MPH Windsor Hills Crash | Nicole Linton found guilty of second-degree murder in deadly 2022 Windsor Hills crash that killed 6 | Nicole Linton found guilty of second-degree murder in Windsor Hills crash that killed 6 | Driver charged in Windsor Hills crash that killed 6 claims to have had a seizure behind wheel