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Woman convicted in crash that killed Lyft driver, passengers
A D.C. jury has found a woman guilty of involuntary manslaughter in a high-speed crash that killed a Lyft driver and two passengers on Rock Creek Parkway. She was acquitted of second-degree murder and now faces up to 30 years in prison.
WASHINGTON - A DC woman charged in a deadly 2023 crash on Rock Creek Parkway that killed a Lyft driver and two passengers has now been convicted on multiple charges, but acquitted of second-degree murder.
The driver, who had dozens of prior traffic violations, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and other offenses tied to the crash.
The backstory:
United States Park Police previously arrested Nakita Marie Walker, 43, of Washington, D.C., in connection with a deadly March 15, 2023 crash on Rock Creek Parkway.
The crash occurred around 1:40 a.m. near the intersection of P Street in northwest D.C.
According to police, an officer initially attempted to stop a Lexus SUV near Virginia Avenue. Authorities say the driver refused to stop and fled. Several minutes later, the SUV collided with a Honda sedan.
Three men inside the Honda were killed in the crash. They were identified as Mohamed Kamara, 42, of Burtonsville, Maryland, Jonathan Cabrera Mendez, 23, of Arlington, Virginia, and Olvin Torres Velasquez, 22, of Arlington. Kamara was a Lyft driver transporting Mendez and Velasquez.
What we know:
After a weeklong trial, a D.C. jury found Walker guilty of three counts of involuntary manslaughter — one for each of the three people killed in the crash.
Investigators say Walker’s blood alcohol content was 0.10 and also showed the presence of THC. Prosecutors say she was driving more than 100 miles per hour just seconds before the crash.
They say she was fleeing a traffic stop at the time.
The jury did not find sufficient evident to support a second-degree murder charge, which requires proof of intent to kill.
What's next:
Walker faces up to 30 years in prison.
She is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on June 5.
The Source: This story includes information from the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia's office and previous FOX 5 reporting.