Woman charged with murder in deadly Los Angeles bus crash

A 36-year-old California woman accused of driving the wrong way, running a red light and slamming her SUV into a Los Angeles Metro bus has been charged with murder in a crash that killed two passengers and was followed hours later by a fatal news helicopter crash nearby.

Bailee Lynn Rios was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, driving under the influence of a drug and reckless driving, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Thursday. District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Rios could face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

“What is particularly tragic about this case is that this is a preventable tragedy,” Hochman told reporters. In a separate statement, he said, “The deadly and destructive consequences of her actions will be felt for years to come.”

The bus passengers killed in Tuesday’s crash were identified as Daniel Castillo, 46, and Gage Weida, 31. Castillo left behind four children. “We are still trying to process the unimaginable reality that he is no longer with us,” his youngest daughter, Johaunna, wrote on a fundraising page for funeral expenses. Weida’s family had planned to visit him for his 32nd birthday, his father told CBS LA. “Unfortunately, we’re still heading out there, but for all the wrong reasons,” Jeffrey Weida said.

Police said Rios was driving a 2004 Ford Expedition on a busy street in Chatsworth, in the San Fernando Valley, when she crossed into opposing traffic, ran a red light, struck a car and then hit the bus. One passenger was fully ejected and another was partially ejected, police said. Video from the scene showed the SUV partially wedged into the middle of the bus.

Hochman said investigators found drugs in Rios’ vehicle and that prosecutors suspect she was under the influence. “She was driving well beyond the speed limit, she entered into opposing traffic because she was approaching a red light where cars were stopped, and she didn’t stop,” he said.

Rios was rescued by first responders and taken to a hospital after the crash. Online court records did not list a lawyer for her, and the public defender’s office did not immediately say whether it represented her, The Guardian reported. NBC News reported she was being held on $4 million bail; The Guardian reported bail at $4.1 million. She was expected to be arraigned Friday, identified by The Guardian as Sept. 18.

The crash drew live coverage from NewsChopper 4, operated by Angel City Air for NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52. Reporter Eliana Moreno described the bus wreck as “horrific” on air. “This is terrifying,” she said in one of her final broadcasts.

The helicopter later lost altitude and crashed near storage containers, killing Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and a pedestrian on the ground, 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia.

There were no immediate details on what caused the helicopter crash. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Fabian Salazar said video from the crew’s final broadcast was “probably the most important evidence that we have discovered so far.” In the footage, an alarm can be heard before a woman says, “Uh oh,” and then, “You can’t pull up?” as the helicopter descends.

Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said the alarm suggested a possible loss of engine power and a dangerous drop in main rotor speed. The NTSB is investigating both the helicopter crash and the bus collision.

Stephanie Wiggins, chief executive of Los Angeles Metro, offered condolences to the victims and their families. “We are grateful to the first responders who rushed to the scene and to the law enforcement investigators and prosecutors working to establish the facts and pursue justice,” she said.

Rios’ mother, Cindy Rios, told NBC News the events were devastating. “It’s so awful,” she said. A longtime friend, Brad Aragon, told the California Post, and confirmed to NBC News, that Rios had struggled with addiction and had gone to rehab at least once. Court records show Rios was convicted in 2022 of driving with a suspended license, while earlier charges of driving under the influence, drug possession and carrying drug paraphernalia were dismissed.

Asked whether the deaths tied to the helicopter crash could become part of the case against Rios, Hochman said prosecutors would wait for the investigation. “We’ll wait to see what the investigation reveals, and then we’ll make the call at that time,” he said.