It was discovered on Sunday that the nurse who is accused of murder in connection with the fiery Los Angeles disaster that claimed five lives was travelling at 130 mph, 40 miles faster than first believed.
According to court documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times on Sunday, Nicole Linton, 37, intentionally accelerated her Mercedes into La Brea and Slauson avenues on August 4 after first being reported to be travelling at 90 mph.
“Further analysis reveals that her speed at impact was in fact 130 mph and that she floored the gas pedal for at least the 5 seconds leading into the crash, going from 122 mph to 130 mph,” said the filing, which was released on Friday.
By using security footage and information from her Mercedes, the prosecution disproved the defense’s assertion that she lost consciousness. Linton had “full control over driving, maintaining the angle of the steering wheel to keep her car heading directly at the busy junction,” according to the records.
The statement in the lawsuit read, “This NASCAR-worthy performance flies in the face of the concept that she was unconscious or incapable.”
Linton is accused of five charges of vehicular manslaughter and six counts of murder.
Asherey Ryan, who was pregnant, died in the crash, as did her 11-month-old son Allonzo, and her boyfriend Reynold Lester. At the time of the crash, the family was apparently travelling to a pregnancy appointment.
A conclusion by doctors that the nurse had a “apparent lapse of consciousness” at the time of the incident was included in medical files that Linton’s attorneys submitted last month. The documents also revealed Linton’s battle with bipolar disorder.
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