Nurse Ran Purple Mild At 130 MPH in Deadly LA Crash That Killed 6

Touring nurse Nicole Linton was absolutely acutely aware and conscious when she pushed her Mercedes-Benz to 130 mph and blasted via a purple mild in a busy Los Angeles intersection last month, killing six.

Linton, a touring nurse from Texas, is accused of rushing via a purple mild on the crossing of South La Brea Avenue and Slauson Avenue within the Windsor Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. The fiery crash concerned a number of vehicles and led to the deaths of 5 folks, together with an toddler, and one unborn child, and the damage of eight others. First responders took Linton to UCLA hospital straight following the crash for minor accidents. Prosecutors charged Linton with six counts of homicide and 5 counts of gross negligence.

Initially, police estimated that Linton drove her Mercedes-Benz 90 mph into cross visitors the afternoon of August 4, however that quantity was apparently a low ball. Court docket papers filed late Friday by Los Angeles County district lawyer’s workplace revealed what investigators discovered once they in contrast her car’s on-board laptop to surveillance video of the crash, the Los Angeles Times studies:

“Additional evaluation reveals that her velocity at affect was in reality 130 mph and that she floored the fuel pedal for at the least the 5 seconds main into the crash, going from 122 mph to 130 mph,” Friday’s courtroom submitting stated.

Prosecutors stated evaluation of the Mercedes’ recorded information and surveillance video signifies that Linton had “full management over steering, sustaining the lean of the steering wheel to maintain her automobile touring straight towards the crowded intersection.”

“This NASCAR-worthy efficiency flies within the face of the notion that she was unconscious or incapacitated,” in line with the submitting.

This data straight contradicts the protection’s argument that Linton was unconscious or incapacitated in the course of the crash. Whereas studies that she was concerned in over a dozen crashes within the years earlier than this one proved false, Linton does have a documented historical past of psychological well being struggles. An identical movement filed by prosecutors detailed her psychological well being historical past, in line with ABC7 News:

In accordance with a movement filed by the Los Angeles County District Legal professional’s workplace Monday, Linton has a historical past of psychological well being points relationship again to at the least 2018. The movement says that Linton’s protection crew has supplied the DA’s workplace with data on a number of incidents, “which look like growing in severity, starting from the defendant leaping on police vehicles to leaping out of condominium home windows,” along with a number of involuntary commitments to psychological well being amenities. Linton has additionally allegedly “has damage herself greater than as soon as.”

Medical professionals treating Linton noted her history of bipolar disorder and involuntary holds at mental health facilities. She told doctors she had no recollection of what happened before the crash. Her four-year battle with mental health started during nursing school, according to Linton’s sister. In the hours before the crash, Linton seemed to be suffering another mental break. From the LA Times:

“In the days and hours leading up to the events of August 4, Nicole’s behavior became increasingly frightening,” her attorneys wrote.

Linton kept telling one of her sisters that her co-workers at the Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center were “acting weird,” her lawyers said. The day of the crash, Linton drove home from the hospital for lunch and FaceTimed her sister completely naked, according to the court papers.

Linton is being held without bond. A few weeks ago, Linton’s lawyers argued she should be moved from jail to a mental health facility, though prosecutors balked, arguing Linton was a danger to the community and a flight risk. The judge delayed ruling on the motion, moving a hearing to Monday.