Chatsworth, Los Angeles – Tuesday evening turned deadly when an SUV driven by Bailee Lynn Rios slammed into a Metro bus carrying commuters. The collision claimed the lives of Gage Weida, 31, and Daniel Castillo, 46. Within two hours, a news helicopter providing aerial coverage of the crash went down nearby, killing reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and tourist Edy Gutierrez Mejia.
Bus collision details
At about 5 p.m., Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Brandon Silverman arrived to find a Ford Expedition lodged inside the eastbound bus. Police say Rios ran a red light, entered opposing traffic while allegedly impaired by drugs, and struck the bus at full force. The bus driver, injured in the impact, called the LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for assistance.
Paramedics pronounced Weida and Castillo dead at the scene. Four other passengers suffered non‑life‑threatening injuries. Rescue crews used hydraulic tools, including the Jaws of Life, to free trapped passengers and the SUV driver. The fire department’s search and rescue team also cut away part of a car door to extract Rios while her vehicle remained wedged in the bus.
Helicopter crash
Shortly after first responders cleared the bus wreckage, a KNBC‑TV NBC4 news helicopter took off to film the incident. At 6:57 p.m., witnesses heard the aircraft’s engine change speed and saw a thick black plume of smoke near the crash site. The helicopter struck a shipping container on its descent, igniting a blaze that killed Moreno, Marciniw and Mejia, a Guatemalan tourist on the ground.
National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration investigators are reviewing video taken as the aircraft descended. NTSB investigator Fabian Salazar noted that the live feed captured the pilot’s attempts to control the aircraft before it crashed.
Legal and community response
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced that Rios faces second‑degree murder, DUI and reckless‑driving charges, with a possible life sentence. “People on that bus were simply going to work or returning home,” Hochman said at a press conference. “They never expected what happened.”
Mayor Karen Bass expressed her condolences at a vigil, saying, “My heart is with the families whose lives changed forever Tuesday night. They expected to return home to their loved ones, and they never arrived.”
Fire and police departments reported that the helicopter fire quickly spread to nearby parked cars and a storage facility, damaging four vehicles and two containers. Firefighters struggled to contain the flames, noting that standard extinguishers were insufficient against the jet‑fuel blaze.
Impact on families and first responders
The tragedies left five families grieving: a father of four, a soon‑to‑be‑birthday Los Angeles resident, an engaged reporter, a veteran pilot nearing retirement, and a tourist who had just arrived in the city. First responders and the broadcast news community have voiced deep sorrow, emphasizing the need for continued support for those affected.
Investigations into both incidents remain ongoing, with authorities urging anyone with additional information or video footage to contact the Los Angeles Police Department.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
