WASHINGTON D.C., DC — The 43-year-old single mother who allegedly caused a deadly crash on Rock Creek Parkway will remain in jail until her trial. The judge said Tuesday that Nakita Walker's five previous DUIs are one of the reasons she remains a danger to the community.
The mother of one of the three men killed in the March 15 collision sobbed in court when Judge Robert Okun told the defense team “Three innocent people lost their lives.”
Her son, 23-year-old Jonathan Cabrera was among them. He and his 22-year-old cousin Olvin Velasquez were in the back seat of a Lyft, heading home around 1:30 a.m. when prosecutors said the suspect fleeing a traffic stop slammed into the ride share car head-on at 72 miles an hour - after hitting the breaks.
The images we have seen of the deadly car crash on the parkway, pale in comparison to the carnage shown in court. Nakita Walker survived, suffered numerous injuries including a broken femur, and was wheelchair-bound during her first court appearance the day after her May 22 arrest. Tuesday, she walked into court using a cane, an advocate by her side and occasionally comforting her with an arm around the defendant’s shoulders.
Walker’s defense attorney told the Judge her client had no memory of the crash and argued for her supervised release since her 11-year-old son is about to graduate elementary school. But the judge sided with prosecutors saying her five prior DUIs prove she is a danger to the community.
Judge Okun also rejected the defense argument that Walker’s abusive boyfriend, who was the passenger, had guns and drugs on him. Walker claimed she sped off from the traffic stop around the Kennedy Center because she feared if she did not protect him from arrest - he would harm her or her family. Park Police discovered drugs but did not find weapons in the car.
Prosecutors said the officer who pulled them over during the traffic stop warned Walker of her speeding and reckless driving saying, "If I was in the road when you were driving I'd be a speck of blood."
Body cam video played in court showed the officer beginning to question the male passenger about a bag of marijuana when Walker drove off. Park Police did not pursue Walker’s car, so prosecutors said there was no need to speed away at 100 miles an hour. Walker’s Lexus crossed the double yellow line about a mile later causing the deadly crash.
Lyft driver 42-year-old Mohammed Kamera and his passengers Jonathan Cabrera and Olvin Velasquez were killed.
In making a ruling to keep Walker behind bars, the judge expressed the government provided plenty of probable cause.
“It’s hard to imagine a case with much stronger evidence of disregard of extreme risk of death of bodily injury to others,” said Judge Okun.
Walker’s trial begins on August 21. Her boyfriend, and passenger, is expected to testify.