Nurse accused in deadly Windsor Hills crash suspended from practicing nursing
LOS ANGELES - A 37-year-old traveling nurse who is accused of causing a deadly crash in Windsor Hills has been suspended from practicing nursing in the state of California, according to the Board of Registered Nursing.
Nicole Linton is a traveling nurse at Kaiser Permanente's West Los Angeles Medical Center. She has been charged with six counts of murder for her role in the deadly crash.
She was behind the wheel of a speeding Mercedes-Benz when she ran a red light and struck several cars at the intersection of S. La Brea and Slauson avenues on August 4, causing a fiery multi-car crash that killed six people, including an infant and a pregnant woman.
Investigators said she was driving over 100 miles per hour, in a 35 mph zone, when she plowed into the intersection. According to the DA's office, alcohol doesn't appear to be a factor in the crash.
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According to the state board, Linton received her California nursing license on March 11, 2022 via the endorsement process.
The California Board of Registered Nursing released the following statement to FOX 11, "At that time, Ms. Linton did not have a criminal history or a record of discipline that would have precluded her from obtaining licensure; and, the BRN did not have any information calling her mental state into question. At this time, upon the request of counsel representing the BRN, Ms. Linton has been suspended from practicing nursing until the resolution of her criminal proceeding, or unless and until the court orders otherwise."
While Linton doesn't have a criminal record investigators claim she has a history of crashes and mental health trouble. Prosecutors allege Linton, who is from Texas, was involved in 13 crashes outside of California. One of the crashes allegedly took place as recently as 2020, where it ended with people getting hurt, prosecutors said.
Linton went through a defensive driving course after the 2020 crash, prosecutors told a judge.
During her first court appearance, her attorneys said they're looking into her potential mental health issues.
RELATED: Windsor Hills crash: Driver in deadly crash had allegedly been involuntary committed several times
According to a motion filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office Monday, Linton has a history of mental health issues dating back to at least 2018. The motion says that Linton's defense team has provided the DA's office with information on multiple incidents, "which appear to be increasing in severity, ranging from the defendant jumping on police cars to jumping out of apartment windows," in addition to multiple involuntary commitments to mental health facilities. Linton also allegedly "has hurt herself more than once."
In addition to the six counts of murder, Linton was also charged with five counts of gross vehicular manslaughter from the Windsor Hills wreck. If convicted on all charges, she could face life in prison.