The separate trials for a woman accused in a wrong-way crash on the freeway, a veteran accused of assaulting a police officer on the freeway and a chiropractor charged in a fraud scheme all had hearing dates this week.
Nicole Thibault is facing multiple criminal charges, including murder, in connection with a fatal wrong-way traffic collision in January 2018. She was ordered to stand trial last October.
She was found to be mentally competent in December 2018 after undergoing a court-ordered mental competency assessment a year ago.
Thibault was arrested on Jan. 31, 2018, after having recovered in a hospital for more than a week after the fatal crash on Jan. 22, 2018.
She is charged with murder, attempted murder and assault connected to allegations that she stole a pickup and crashed it on the 210 freeway, killing Fontana resident Daniel Castillo and injuring others.
She remains in custody. She’s due back in court Nov. 16.
Philip Newlyn, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, is accused of intentionally hitting a motorcycle officer with his truck. He was deemed fit to stand trial in October 2018, but his case has been in the L.A. County court system for about four years.
He’s due back in court on Nov. 20.
Robin Long, a Newhall chiropractor, was one of 15 charged in an alleged $6 million car insurance fraud and kickback scheme.
Long, 50, of Newhall, was arrested in the operation with bail set at $200,000. Prosecutors, in their felony complaint, list a maximum sentence for Long of 10 years and six months in prison, if convicted.
The felony complaint lists a total of 18 felony counts, including charges against all of the defendants of insurance fraud and participating in patient referral rebates when licensed in the healing arts or as a chiropractor.
She’s due back in court in February.
