Driver in fatal Rock Creek Parkway crash was going 100 mph, medical examiner says

Nakita Walker was traveling 100 miles per hour on Rock Creek Parkway for 10 seconds before the March 2023 crash that claimed the lives of three men in a Lyft, according to new testimony Monday from an expert witness in the case.

Walker is accused of being drunk behind the wheel and causing deadly crash. She is facing three counts of second degree murder and has pleaded not guilty.

Dr. Francisco Diaz, the chief medical examiner for the District of Columbia, told the court Walker could have been going even faster in the five seconds before the collision. He said was able to extract the data from the airbag control module in the Lexus Walker was driving.

He also told the court the Lyft driver, Mohamed Kamara, was traveling about 35 miles per hour when his Honda was hit by the Lexus.

On the witness stand Monday, Diaz also told the court Kamara and his passengers — Jonathan Mendez and Olvin Velasquez — suffered multiple fractures of their legs, one suffered a fractured skull and they all had internal bleeding. The cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma and the manner of death was an accident.

As the jury was shown autopsy photos of the victims, Walker never looked up from her seat at the defense table.

Last week, News4 aired portions of three police body-worn camera videos shown to the jury. One showed Walker in the driver’s seat during the initial traffic stop with Donnell Thomas in the passenger seat.

The video shows Walker speeding off as she was questioned by an officer with the U.S. Park Police. Walker said she was speeding because her 10-year-old son was home alone and she was trying to get there.

But on the witness stand last week, Thomas testified Walker sped off because the officer was harassing him for having weed in his pocket and liquor in a cup.

Thomas testified under a grant of immunity and is not charged in connection with the crash.

He told the court he and Walker argued that night on whether he should take the wheel. Thomas said he was concerned about Walker’s behavior.

Monday in court, a man who came upon the crash scene before the police arrived that night testified he pulled Walker out of her car.

But last week, Thomas, testifying for the prosecution, said he pulled Walker out of the car after the crash.

The judge told the court today the case will likely be wrapped up sometime this week with closing arguments expected Thursday.