A woman has been sentenced to 29 years in federal prison for a 2023 crash on Rock Creek Parkway in D.C. that killed three people.
Nakita Walker, 46, was sentenced Thursday in D.C. Superior Court on charges related to a head-on collision that killed Lyft driver Mohamed Kamara and his passengers, Olvin Torres Velasquez and Jonathan Cabrera Mendez.
While announcing the sentence, Judge Rainey Brandt also revoked Walker’s driving privileges and recommended that she continue mental health and substance abuse treatments while she’s in prison.
Walker was convicted in April of three counts of involuntary manslaughter, fleeing law enforcement and assault with a dangerous weapon. The same jury ruled that she was not guilty of second-degree murder.
In the early hours of March 15, 2023, a U.S. Park Police officer stopped Walker’s vehicle near the Kennedy Center for speeding and running a red light.
Prosecutors said she complied with the officer at first, but then sped off, reaching 100 mph on Rock Creek Parkway before crashing into Kamara’s vehicle, killing all three people inside.
During Walker’s trial, a key witness for the prosecution contradicted his testimony to the jury.
Walker’s ex-boyfriend, Donnell Thomas, initially told investigators that Walker had been drinking before the crash. But in court, he said Walker had not been drinking or smoking marijuana. He told the court that he’s had memory issues since the crash.
Walker also has multiple previous DUI convictions and in 2023, had unpaid traffic tickets totaling $14,300.
WTOP’s Thomas Robertson and Grace Newton contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
