Source: Bill Oxford / Getty
Criminal charges are pending against 37-year-old Nicole Lorraine Linton, the suspect that caused the fiery multi-car crash that killed six people near the Windsor Hills area in Los Angeles.
Officials say Linton was driving over 100 miles per hour, in a 35 mph zone, when she crashed into several cars crossing the intersection at the corners of S. LA Brea and Slauson on Aug. 4. She was drunk when the incident occurred, FOX 11 news reported. A pregnant woman and an infant were among the deceased.
Linton was taken into custody on Friday and charged on the grounds of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, according to authorities. She’s currently being treated for “moderate injuries” at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
On Thursday, viral video footage of the fatal crash took the internet by storm. In the short clip, Linton’s Mercedez Benz can be seen ploughing through a red light as cars wait at the intersection. After speeding through the red light, Linton’s vehicle slams into multiple cars and explodes upon impact, sending debris and a baby through the windshield.
Veronica Esquivel, a bystander at the scene of the horrific crash told KTLA 5 that the young infant landed near her following the impact.
“All of the sudden, a baby literally flew from the middle of the intersection to the middle of the gas station and landed right on the floor in front of me. One of the workers came and saw me with the baby and took the baby out of my hands… Somebody tried to resuscitate the baby but the baby was gone.”
An alleged friend of Linton claimed that she got into an argument with her boyfriend before the incident. “She was drinking, and she was not aware it was a red light, so she shot straight through,” the alleged friend added to KTLA 5.
Misinformed Rumors Surface
As facts about the shocking story unfolded, some misinformed speculation also surfaced across social media. A rumor alleged that actress Miracle Watts and social media star Kayla Nicole Jones were among the victims who died in the crash, Blavity noted. However, both celebs quickly took to Instagram to clear up the harmful hearsay.
“I Am Ok. Thanks For Everyone Concerned. & Let’s keep those who were involved in that crash today in our prayers,” Watts posted via her Instagram Story.
“Man I am not dead. I checked my dms and all I see is y’all asking am I alive, and some car accident,” Jones added.
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