California woman charged with two murders after bus crash that preceded fatal news helicopter crash
Bailee Lynn Rios has been charged with two counts of murder for a crash that killed two bus passengers, an incident that was followed by a news helicopter crash that claimed three more lives.
A 36-year-old California woman, Bailee Lynn Rios, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, traveling on the wrong side of the road, and running a red light before colliding with a Los Angeles Metro bus on Tuesday. The crash killed two passengers, identified as Daniel Castillo, 46, and Gage Weida, 31. Rios was held on $4.1 million bail and is scheduled for arraignment on September 18.
The incident was compounded later that day when a news helicopter dispatched to the scene crashed, killing pilot George Marciniw, reporter Eliana Moreno, and a pedestrian, 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said, "The deadly and destructive consequences of her actions will be felt for years to come." Metro chief executive Stephanie Wiggins expressed sympathy for the victims and praised first responders.
Investigators are examining both the bus collision and the helicopter crash. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Fabian Salazar called the helicopter’s final video "probably the most important evidence that we have discovered so far." Aviation expert Jeff Guzzetti noted that an alarm in the cockpit suggested a possible loss of engine power and a rapid decrease in rotor speed.
A vigil was planned for Thursday evening to honor all five victims. The crash adds to a record of at least eight fatal news-helicopter accidents in the United States since 2000, which have resulted in 16 deaths.