Nicole Linton, 41, faces multiple life sentences 

October 3, 2026 – WINDSOR HILLS, CA – Registered nurse Nicole Linton was convicted on Friday of murdering six people, including a pregnant woman, her 11-month-old infant, and her unborn child when Linton drove through an intersection at 130-mph, causing a fiery crash in Windsor Hills in 2022.

The jury found Linton (41) of Houston guilty of all charges: six felony counts of second-degree murder.

“The jury agreed that this was no accident. Nicole Linton murdered six people when she deliberately put her foot on the gas and accelerated up to 130-mph through a red light into an intersection with visible traffic, deploying her car as a high-speed missile with complete disregard for the lives of others on the road,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “Linton’s actions left behind heartbreaking wreckage that looked like a warzone, traumatizing survivors and witnesses. She also caused devastation in the lives of the victims’ loved ones. Asherey Ryan, Reynold Lester, Alonzo Quintero, Armani, Nathesia Lewis and Lynette Noble should still be with us today. While this verdict cannot bring them back, it can honor their memory by ensuring that their lives were not forgotten and that justice prevailed on their behalf.”

“I thank Deputy District Attorneys Antonella Nistorescu and Brittany Vannoy for their steadfast commitment to justice and uncompromising work for over four years on this complex case.”

On August 4, 2022, Linton was working as a registered nurse in Los Angeles when she left her shift early in her Mercedez-Benz. Approximately 18 minutes later, around 1:40 p.m., Linton barreled through a red light at 130-mph into the intersection of La Brea and Slauson avenues, striking multiple vehicles, three of which were set ablaze. The light had been red for 15 seconds.

Instead of stopping or swerving, Linton drove straight into the intersection at her car’s top speed, killing six people in a fiery multi-car crash.

In one vehicle, Asherey Ryan, 23, 8 1/2 months pregnant; Ryan’s boyfriend, Reynold Lester, 24; their 11-month-old son Alonzo; and their unborn child Armani were killed. The couple had been driving to Ryan’s final prenatal appointment. The force of the crash sliced their car in half, ejected Alonzo and his car seat and ripped Armani from his mother’s womb.

Friends Nathesia Lewis, 43, and Lynette Noble, 38, were in another vehicle on a shopping trip when they were killed.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Linton revved her engine after passing the Five Points intersection, and floored her gas pedal for at least five seconds before plowing through the cars in the intersection of Slauson and La Brea.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 1 in Department 109 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Linton is expected to be sentenced to multiple life sentences.

Case BA507936 was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Antonella Nistorescu of the Major Crimes Division and Brittany Vannoy of the DUI Training and Prosecution Section. It was investigated by the California Highway Patrol.

In an effort to deter these crimes, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is taking an aggressive stance to holding dangerous drivers accountable. The Office is currently prosecuting the following defendants for murder for intentional decisions indicating a conscious disregard for human life with full knowledge of the potentially fatal consequences of speeding.

Pending Cases Involving Alleged Speeding Drivers:

• Angelo Rodriguez (25) of Fontana and Iris Salmeron (27) of Bellflower are each charged in case 26BFCF00140 with four counts of murder. Salmeron is also charged with driving under the influence causing injury and driving with a .08 blood alcohol content or higher causing injury. On July 20, 2025, at about 12:50 a.m., Rodriguez, a former California Highway Patrol officer, was allegedly driving more than 130-mph southbound on the 605 Freeway when he struck the victims’ car, leaving it disabled and stranded in the HOV lane. Salmeron, allegedly driving more than 100-mph, then crashed into the disabled vehicle, killing Juliana Hamori, 23, Armand DelCampo, 24, Jordan Partridge, 23, and Samantha Skocilic, 22. Rodriguez and Salmeron each face up to life in state prison if convicted as charged. A preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for October 6 in Department J of the Norwalk Courthouse. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Daniel Akemon, Brittany Vannoy and David Nary. It is being investigated by the California Highway Patrol.
• Bailee Lynn Rios (36) of Simi Valley is charged in case 26SFCF01880 with two counts of murder, one felony count of driving under the influence of a drug causing injury and one felony count of reckless driving on a highway causing specified injury. On September 15, 2026, at approximately 5:00 p.m., Rios was allegedly driving alone in an SUV at a high rate of speed on the wrong side of the road at an intersection in Chatsworth when she ran a red light and crashed into an in-service Metro bus carrying passengers. Gage Weida, 31, and Daniel Castillo, 46, were killed. At least five others were injured, two seriously. Rios faces life in prison if convicted as charged. A preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for November 2 in Department G of the San Fernando Courthouse. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Ryan Gould and investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.
• Fraser Michael Bohm (24) of Malibu is charged in case LA100189 with four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. On October 17, 2023, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Bohm was allegedly driving up to 104-mph in a 45-mph zone of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu when he lost control of his BMW and drove onto the shoulder, killing Pepperdine University students Niamh Rolston, 20, Peyton Stewart, 21, Asha Weir, 21, and Deslyn Williams, 21, who were walking nearby. Bohm faces multiple life sentences if convicted as charged. A pretrial hearing is set for November 4 in Department N in the Van Nuys Courthouse. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Nathan Bartos and Polene Ghazarian. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
• Jenia Resha Belt (34) of Los Angeles is charged in case 25TRCF01022 with one felony count of murder, one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and one misdemeanor count of driving when privilege suspended or revoked for driving with specified blood alcohol level. On May 4, 2025, at approximately 12:45 a.m., Belt was allegedly driving 50-mph in 35-mph zone of Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach when she struck and killed 18-year-old Loyola High School senior Braun Levi as he crossed the street. If convicted as charged, Belt faces up to 15 years to life in state prison. A pretrial conference is set for October 22 in Department C of the Torrance Courthouse. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Brittany Vannoy and Rachel Robinson and remains under investigation by the Manhattan Beach Police Department.
• Kameron Lee Peterson (33) of Gardena is charged in case 25TRCF00024 with one count of murder and one felony count each of hit-and-run driving causing death and reckless driving on a highway causing injury. On January 7, 2025, at approximately 11:25 p.m., Peterson was allegedly driving 106-mph in a 35-mph zone on Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach when he struck the victims’ car, killing 18-year-old Mira Costa High School senior Ford Savela and permanently injuring another passenger. Peterson faces up to life in prison if convicted as charged. A pretrial conference is set for November 4 in Department C of the Torrance Courthouse. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Geoff Lewin and investigated by the Manhattan Beach Police Department.
• Mario Joseph Bickham (36) of Hawthorne is charged in case 26CJCF03958 with two felony counts of murder. At approximately 2:04 a.m. on June 23, 2025, Bickham was allegedly driving 112 mph in a 65-mph zone before he slammed into on-duty Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Shiou Lih Deng’s patrol vehicle and 34-year-old Jesús Arturo Garcia’s disabled truck on the 405 Freeway in West Los Angeles, killing both men. Sgt. Shiou Deng had stopped to provide emergency aid to Jesús Garcia when they were struck and killed. Sgt. Deng, 53, had served the LAPD for over 26 years. If convicted as charged, Bickham faces up to 15 years to life in state prison for each victim. Arraignment is set for October 15 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Eric Siddall and investigated by the California Highway Patrol.

The charges filed in these pending cases are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Conviction Upheld on Appeal:

Rebecca Grossman (63) was convicted by a jury on February 23, 2024, in case LA093990 of murdering Mark and Jacob Iskander, ages 11 and 8, in 2020, Westlake Village high-speed hit-and-run as they crossed a marked pedestrian crosswalk with their mother. Prosecutors presented evidence that she was driving up to 81-mph in a 45-mph zone after drinking at a bar. The jury also convicted her of two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death. On June 10, 2024, Gossman was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison. In March 2026, a California appellate court rejected her appeal and upheld her convictions. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Jamie Castro and Ryan Gould and investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Source: Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office