A 36-year-old Los Angeles woman now faces second-degree murder charges following a devastating multi-vehicle collision that claimed two lives on a busy city street—and triggered a secondary tragedy that killed three more people when a news helicopter covering the incident crashed nearby.
Bailee Lynn Rios was arrested Wednesday in connection with the crash in Chatsworth, a neighbourhood in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. Prosecutors allege she was driving under the influence of drugs when she made a series of reckless decisions that set the disaster in motion.
According to law enforcement, Rios drove her 2004 Ford Expedition the wrong way down a busy street at excessive speed. As she approached a red light where traffic had stopped, instead of braking, she entered opposing traffic and collided with another vehicle before ploughing directly into a Metro bus.
"What is particularly tragic about this case is that this is a preventable tragedy," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters, adding that Rios faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The bus impact was catastrophic. One passenger was completely ejected from the vehicle; another was partially ejected. Daniel Castillo, 46, and Gage Weida, 31, were pronounced dead at the scene. Rios was rescued by first responders and transported to a local hospital.
Investigators discovered drugs in Rios' vehicle following the wreck. Hochman noted that toxicology findings support suspicions of drug impairment. In addition to the two murder charges, Rios faces counts of driving under the influence and reckless driving.
Tragedy Compounds: News Crew Killed in Helicopter Crash
As this tragedy unfolded below, a news helicopter providing live coverage for NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 was broadcasting the scene to viewers across Southern California. Reporter Eliana Moreno described the collision as "horrific" on live television, calling it "terrifying" in what would prove to be one of her final broadcasts.
Minutes later, NewsChopper 4—operated by Angel City Air—suddenly lost altitude and plummeted toward storage containers below. Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were killed in the crash. A pedestrian on the ground, Edy Gutierrez Mejia, also died in the impact.
The chain of events left five people dead: two bus passengers, two aviation professionals, and one bystander. The incident has reignited questions about road safety, impaired driving enforcement, and the risks news crews face while covering breaking stories.
It was unclear Wednesday whether Rios had retained legal counsel to represent her in the proceedings ahead.
This article is based on reporting from NBC News.