Driver in crash that killed Lyft driver, 2 passengers sentenced

By the Editorial Team · Saturday, June 27, 2026

Nakita Walker was sentenced to 29 years in prison for a 2023 high-speed crash in Washington, D.C. that killed a Lyft driver and two passengers while she was fleeing police. The sentence reflects the court’s response to her reckless actions, which included driving under the influence and fleeing law enforcement, resulting in multiple fatalities.

A Washington, D.C. woman was sentenced Thursday to 29 years in prison for a fatal 2023 crash that claimed the lives of a Lyft driver and two passengers. Nakita Walker, 46, was driving at speeds up to 100 mph while fleeing a police stop when she crossed a double-yellow line on Rock Creek Parkway and collided head-on with a vehicle operated by Mohamed Kamara, 42. Kamara and his passengers, Jonathan Cabrera Mendez, 23, and Olvin Torres Velasquez, 22, died at the scene.

The crash occurred on March 15, 2023, after U.S. Park Police officers attempted to stop Walker’s black Lexus earlier that night for speeding and running a red light near the intersection of Independence Avenue and 17th Street in Southwest Washington. Court documents indicate that an officer observed a passenger in Walker’s vehicle holding a cup containing cognac and saw packaging consistent with marijuana, a substance illegal on federal property. When the officer reached to confiscate the marijuana, Walker fled the scene.

Walker was eventually apprehended in May and has remained in custody since. At the time of the crash, her blood alcohol concentration was 0.10 percent, exceeding the legal driving limit of 0.08.

In April, a jury convicted Walker of three counts of involuntary manslaughter, fleeing from law enforcement, and assault with a dangerous weapon, while acquitting her of second-degree murder and negligent homicide. Thursday’s sentencing also includes five years of supervised release, a prohibition on driving pending further court orders, and recommendations that she be housed at a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility within driving range of D.C. and continue mental health treatment.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt delivered the sentence, emphasizing the severity of the consequences stemming from Walker’s actions. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro described the incident as a result of Walker’s “reckless and violent choices” that led to “profound harm” and irreversible loss for the victims’ families.

An attorney for Walker could not be reached for comment.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.