Driver Charged With Murder in Deadly LA Bus Crash and Helicopter Downing
A woman has been arrested for murder following a fatal bus collision that led to a subsequent helicopter crash, killing a total of five people.
A driver has been charged with murder in connection with a fatal Los Angeles bus crash that occurred Tuesday evening, an incident that was followed by a deadly helicopter crash while news crews were covering the initial collision.
Bailee Lynn Rios, 36, faces murder charges after allegedly causing the bus crash by driving at high speed and running a red light, according to police. She was held on $4.03 million bail. Authorities are also investigating a potential DUI.
The initial collision involved a Metro Line 166 bus and an SUV. Witnesses reported the SUV was traveling at freeway speeds when it struck the bus. Two people on the bus, identified as Gage Weida, 31, and Daniel Castillo, 46, died in the crash. Six other individuals on the bus sustained injuries, some critically.
Approximately two hours after the bus crash, an NBC news helicopter that had arrived to film the wreckage went down in a nearby parking lot. The chopper crashed and burst into flames, killing its two occupants: aerial reporter Eliana Moreno, 38, and pilot George Marciniw, 70. A third person on the ground was also killed in the helicopter crash.
NBC4 reporter Robert Kovacik was at the scene of the bus crash and witnessed the helicopter go down. He attempted to reach the crash site but was prevented by emergency responders due to safety concerns.
Moreno was a veteran aerial reporter who had been flying in news helicopters since 2010. She was engaged to be married. Marciniw was an experienced pilot with over 14,000 flight hours.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed her devastation over the loss of life. "My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we lost in the tragic bus collision and helicopter crash," she stated on social media.
California Governor Gavin Newsom also extended his condolences, thanking first responders. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are set to investigate the helicopter crash. The intersection where both incidents occurred is expected to remain closed for an extended period.