Nicole Linton’s Mental Health Was Deteriorating Before L.A. Crash That Killed 6
Nicole Linton’s Mental Health Was Deteriorating Before L.A. Crash That Killed 6
Nicole Lorraine Linton–the traveling nurse accused of causing the fiery Windsor Hills crash that killed six people was suffering from worsening mental health issues. According to prosecutors, Nicole Linton had hurt herself before and had been involuntarily committed for psychiatric treatment multiple times.
In a recent filing opposing the pretrial release of Nicole Linton, 37– who faces murder and manslaughter charges in connection with the Aug. 4 crash– L.A. County Deputy Dist. Atty. Brittany Vannoy said many of Linton’s mental health issues were shared with prosecutors by the defense team.
Vannoy wrote:
“The defense has disclosed a number of prior incidents which appear to be increasing in severity, ranging from the defendant jumping on police cars to jumping out of apartment windows. The defense indicates [Linton] has been subject to involuntary commitments on several occasions and has hurt herself more than once.”
Vannoy went on to argue that Linton’s mental health issues, her reckless driving in the incident, and her ties to people out of state and out of the country mean she should be held without bail pretrial. Linton’s mother lives in Jamaica.
Vanoy continued,
“The defendant’s extremely reckless conduct combined with her mental health struggles that have escalated to the point of taking the lives of six individuals and harming seven more clearly comport with the exceptions for detention without bail under the California Constitution.”
As previously reported, on Thursday (Aug 4) Houston travel nurse Nicole Lorraine Linton ran a red light, driving at 90 mph (144 kph), crashing into vehicles in a busy intersection in Windsor Hills, California. Multiple victims were ejected from their cars and some of the cars caught on fire.
Attorney Halim Dhanidina said,
“It’s been reported extensively and it’s not true. Our initial investigation has demonstrated that that allegation that’s been bandied about in the media is patently false.”
Nicole Linton was set to have a hearing over her bail Monday (Aug. 15), but her attorneys asked a judge to postpone it for two weeks so that they could continue investigating and preparing.
Linton is currently being held without bail at the Century Regional Detention Center and did not come to court for the brief hearing Monday.
Nicole Lorraine Linton was charged with six counts of murder and five counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. If convicted, she could face 90 years to life behind bars.