Chatsworth Metro bus crash: Driver arrested on suspicion of murder due in court
Chatsworth Metro bus crash suspect due in court
Bailee Rios allegedly drove a gray 2004 Ford Expedition south in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue just after 5 p.m. Tuesday when she ran a red light and nearly collided with an eastbound vehicle before hitting the side of the Metro Line 166 bus in the 20900 block of Nordhoff Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
LOS ANGELES - A woman arrested after allegedly driving her SUV into a Metro bus in Chatsworth, resulting in two fatalities and six injuries, is scheduled to make a court appearance on Thursday.
The violent multi-vehicle collision was subsequently followed by a fatal television news helicopter crash just blocks away while crews were covering the initial scene.
What we know:
Bailee Rios, a 36-year-old resident of Simi Valley, was scheduled to appear at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in San Fernando following her arrest on Tuesday night by the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Traffic Division.
Police allege that Rios drove a gray 2004 Ford Expedition southbound in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue shortly after 5 p.m., running a red light and nearly striking another vehicle before broadsiding a Metro Line 166 bus near Nordhoff Street.
According to police, the sheer force of the impact fully ejected one passenger from the bus and partially ejected a second, while flying debris damaged a nearby Honda CR-V.
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Emergency crews from the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived to treat multiple patients and frantically worked to extricate a woman trapped inside the bus who suffered severe crushing injuries.
Driver in Chatsworth crash had history of substance abuse, relative says
Bailee Rios is being held on $4 million bail after running a red light and crashing into a Metro bus, killing two. FOX 11 spoke to a relative of hers who said she has a history of substance abuse and prior misdemeanors.
Two men who died at the scene were later identified by the county medical examiner as 46-year-old Daniel Castillo, who died on the bus, and 31-year-old Gage Weida, who was thrown onto the street.
Six others were transported to local hospitals, including Rios, who was treated for her injuries before being booked on suspicion of murder with bail set at $4.03 million.
Metro officials initially reported that Rios had died at the hospital, but later clarified that she was alive.
Shortly before 7 p.m. that same evening, an NBCLA news helicopter reporting on the bus collision crashed blocks away, killing three people— pilot George Marciniw and aerial reporter Eliana Moreno aboard the aircraft, and Edy Gutierrez Mejia on the ground. Two others were injured.
What we don't know:
Investigators have not yet publicly disclosed what caused Rios to drive on the wrong side of the road or run the red light prior to the impact.
It's also unconfirmed whether prosecutors will file formal charges at her initial court appearance or whether toxicological tests have been conducted to determine if impairment played a role in the crash.
Aviation authorities have not released findings regarding the mechanical or environmental factors that led to the news helicopter crashing just blocks from the initial scene.
NTSB investigating deadly news chopper crash
Reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were killed aboard the helicopter, which was operated by Angel City Air and provided news coverage for NBC4 and its Spanish-language sister station, Telemundo 52, NBC4 announced.
What's next:
Rios is expected to appear in court, where prosecutors will determine formal filing decisions following her arrest.
Meanwhile, local authorities, along with federal transportation investigators looking into the air crash, will continue gathering evidence from both scenes to determine the full chain of events.
Community members plan to gather for a vigil from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at St. John Eudes Church in Chatsworth to honor all five victims killed in the two tragedies.
What you can do:
Residents who witnessed either collision or possess dashcam footage from the area of De Soto Avenue and Nordhoff Street around 5 p.m. Tuesday are encouraged to contact the LAPD Valley Traffic Division.
Local community members wishing to pay their respects or support the grieving families can attend the public vigil hosted at St. John Eudes Church in Chatsworth on Thursday evening.
The Source: This report is compiled directly from official statements provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, verified Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department jail records, and public statements from Metro spokesman Jose Ubaldo and Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. Victim identifications were established through formal releases from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. City News Service contributed.