Driver Faces Murder Charges Following Fatal Los Angeles Bus Crash and Secondary Helicopter Tragedy

A 36-year-old woman faces murder charges after a fatal LA bus crash. A subsequent helicopter accident covering the scene claimed three additional lives.

Editorial Desk

September 17, 2026 2 Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, USA — Authorities have taken 36-year-old Bailee Lynn Rios into custody on murder charges following a catastrophic collision between an SUV and a Los Angeles Metro bus on Tuesday. The incident resulted in two fatalities and multiple injuries.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Rios was operating a 2004 Ford Expedition traveling south in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue. The vehicle reportedly bypassed a red light at the intersection of Nordhoff Street, narrowly avoiding one car before colliding with an eastbound Metro Line 166 bus.

The force of the impact caused the SUV to become lodged within the bus, ejecting at least one passenger. Emergency crews transported six individuals to local hospitals, noting that some victims suffered severe crushing injuries while others sustained non-life-threatening trauma.

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The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner identified the two deceased victims of the bus crash as 46-year-old Daniel Castillo and 31-year-old Gage Weida. Rios is currently held on $4 million bail as prosecutors review potential charges related to reckless driving, traffic violations, and suspected impairment.

Tragedy struck again hours later when an NBC News helicopter covering the initial crash site went down in Chatsworth. The aviation accident claimed the lives of NBC reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and a 29-year-old pedestrian identified as Edy Gutierrez Mejia.

Veteran pilot Zoey Tur analyzed footage of the helicopter crash on X, suggesting the incident appeared to be an engine failure involving a slow response to auto-rotation. NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 released a joint statement mourning the loss of their colleagues and extending condolences to the families affected by the dual tragedies.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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