A 36-year-old Simi Valley woman has been charged with murder and driving under the influence after a crash involving a Metro bus in Chatsworth left two passengers dead and several others injured.
Bailee Lynn Rios was formally charged Thursday in connection with the Sept. 15 collision at the intersection of Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue. Prosecutors allege that Rios was driving a 2004 Ford Expedition at a high rate of speed on the wrong side of the road when she ran a red light and struck a Metro bus carrying passengers.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed two counts of murder against Rios, along with a felony charge of driving under the influence of a drug causing injury and a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving on a highway. If convicted as charged, she could face life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Rios was injured in the crash and was taken to a hospital after firefighters removed her from the SUV. She was later arrested.
The victims killed in the bus crash were identified by the Los Angeles County medical examiner as 46-year-old Daniel Castillo and 31-year-old Gage Weida.
The Metro Line 166 bus was traveling east on Nordhoff Street when the Expedition entered the intersection. Investigators said the SUV was traveling south in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue before the collision. The impact was severe enough to leave the SUV partially inside the bus, while one passenger was ejected.
Several other people were injured in the crash. Prosecutors said at least five people were injured, including two who suffered critical injuries.
Security camera footage released after the crash shows the Expedition moving quickly toward the intersection before striking the side of the Metro bus. The video also shows another vehicle narrowly avoiding the SUV shortly before the collision.
The crash became part of an even larger tragedy in Chatsworth that afternoon. While the bus crash was being covered, a NewsChopper4 helicopter went down, killing reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the bus crash as preventable and said prosecutors would pursue the charges filed against Rios.
Rios was scheduled to appear in court but did not appear because of medical reasons. The arraignment was rescheduled for Sept. 18. Prosecutors have requested that bail be set at $4.1 million.
The charges against Rios are allegations, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation into the deadly Chatsworth events remains ongoing. Prosecutors have also said they will wait for the findings of the federal investigation into the helicopter crash before determining whether any additional charges could be connected to that incident.
