Nurse who caused deadly L.A. crash may have been unconscious
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A nurse who caused the fiery Los Angeles crash that killed five people and an unborn baby may have had an “apparent lapse of consciousness” prior to impact.
Nicole Linton, 37, of Houston, faces six murder charges as a result of the horrific Aug. 4 crash that killed a young family of three on their way to a pre-natal appointment and two other friends travelling in another car.
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Linton’s lawyers wrote in court filings about their client’s four-year struggle with bipolar disorder and that doctors determined she suffered an “apparent lapse of consciousness” at the time of the crash, Chron reported.
“Mental incapacitation and unconsciousness are, of course, complete defenses to crimes under California law,” Linton’s attorneys noted in the filings.
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They also revealed that a fully naked Linton FaceTimed her sister during her lunch break, from which she was driving back when she caused the fiery wreck.
“In the days and hours leading up to the events of Aug. 4, Nicole’s behavior became increasingly frightening,” her attorneys wrote.
They claimed that during this time, Linton was in contact with her sister Camille, and had repeatedly insisted to her that her co-workers at the hospital were “acting weird.”
The naked FaceTime call was cause for alarm for Camille, who insisted this was troubling and not normal for her sister to do.
Linton then travelled back to work but called her sister again – just minutes before the crash – to tell her she was leaving work again.
“She told her sister that she was flying out to meet her in Houston the next day so she could do her niece’s hair,” the filings state.
Prosecutors alleged that Linton had been involved in a string of motor vehicle accidents, but her attorneys said those reports were false.
Linton’s attorneys are hoping the filing will warrant a release from custody and transfer to a mental health facility.
“Specifically, Ms. Linton would be most appropriately housed in a mental health treatment facility where she can be monitored and treated for her illness under conditions that would significantly mitigate any risk to the public and the integrity of the proceedings before the Court,” her attorneys wrote.
“She has no criminal record and no history of reckless driving, harming others, or disobeying court orders.”
The hearing was rescheduled for Sept. 12 to allow prosecutors time to respond to Linton’s bail motion.
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