dpLOS ANGELES (KABC) — Prosecutors began presenting their case Tuesday in the trial of a woman accused of causing a Windsor Hills crash in 2022 that killed six people. Gruesome evidence was presented in court, prompting audible reactions.
Prosecutors allege that Nicole Linton was driving a Mercedes at about 130 mph when she sped through the intersection of Slauson and La Brea on Aug. 4, 2022, triggering a fiery collision that shocked the community.
The 39-year-old faces six counts of murder and five counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. She has pleaded not guilty.
Cameras weren’t allowed inside the court, but Linton appeared wearing a black suit jacket, glasses and a headwrap.
Several people, including witnesses and bystanders injured in the crash, took the witness stand on Tuesday.
During opening statements, prosecutors told jurors that “the defendant killed six people” before playing surveillance video of the collision. Family members of the victims reacted emotionally as the video was shown in court. Several people reportedly left the courtroom during the presentation of evidence.
According to her defense team, Linton was suffering a mental health crisis at the time of the crash and may have experienced a lapse of consciousness. Prosecutors are expected to argue that Linton was aware of her history of mental health issues before getting behind the wheel.
During their opening remarks, Linton’s defense attorney said the traveling nurse had just left her job and suffered a medical emergency while driving home. They claim Linton suffered a seizure before the crash, and add that there was no evidence that she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They also said she was not on her phone, was not racing anyone and was not angry or fighting with anyone at the time of the crash.
Prosecutors told jurors they intend to present evidence that they say contradicts the claim that Linton suffered a seizure, and argued that Linton had been upset at work and was driving angrily.
The crash killed 23-year-old Asherey Ryan, who was eight and a half months pregnant. Ryan was traveling in a Jaguar with her 24-year-old boyfriend, Reynold Lester, and their 11-month-old son, Alonzo Quintero, on the way to a prenatal appointment. Their unborn son, Armani, was also killed.
During their opening statements, prosecutors told jurors that the force of the crash threw Alonzo through the air, landing at the feet of a woman at a nearby gas station. They later showed surveillance footage from the gas station that prosecutors said captured witnesses picking him up from the ground.
The prosecution also presented graphic images related to the crash. Prosecutors showed images of Ryan’s charred body and her unborn son and argued that the force of the crash caused the injuries that led to their deaths. Prosecutors said the impact was so hard, Armani was ripped from Ryan’s womb.
In one video, jurors could see the baby lying in the street with its umbilical cord still attached.
The presentation prompted audible reactions from the audience, and some family members ran out of the courtroom. Linton also became emotional at times and was seen crying in court.
At one point, one of the jurors was visibly distraught.
Authorities said 43-year-old Nathesia Lewis and her friend, 38-year-old Lynette Noble, who were in another vehicle, also died in the collision.
A California Highway Patrol investigator said the impact was so severe that the Jaguar was split in half. Nine other people, including Linton, were injured.
The trial is expected to last at least six weeks before jurors begin deliberating. If convicted on all charges, Linton could spend the rest of her life in prison.
Community members call the victims the “Slauson Six,” and a representative for the families says they have waited a long time for this day and are hoping for justice and a conviction.
“Those are images that I, the family, and everyone who witnessed will never forget,” said family spokesperson Najee Ali. “Their family members are not going to be brought back, but it’s important to have justice, but also closure, because Nicole Linton not only murdered six members of our community, it was as if she killed the whole community, because that community of Windsor Hills is still traumatized.”
SEE ALSO: New memorial banner unveiled for victims of 2022 Windsor Hills crash
August 4 marks three years since six people – including a pregnant woman and her unborn child – were killed in a violent crash at a Windsor Hills intersection.
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