Driver who crashed into LA bus before NBC helicopter accident arrested on murder charges

A California woman has been arrested on murder charges after an SUV crashed into a Los Angeles Metro bus on Tuesday, resulting in multiple injuries and two deaths.

Hours later, an NBC News helicopter covering the breaking story went down near the scene, killing NBC reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and a pedestrian.

Bailee Lynn Rios, 36, was identified by the Los Angeles Police Department as the driver of the 2004 Ford Expedition involved in the initial crash.

The vehicle had been traveling south in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue before running a red light near the intersection with Nordhoff Street, as reported by NBC 4 Los Angeles.

The SUV narrowly missed an eastbound vehicle before slamming directly into an eastbound Metro Line 166 bus, embedding itself partially inside the passenger vehicle and ejecting at least one bus occupant.

Emergency responders transported six injured people from the scene, including Rios. Medical personnel reported that victims suffered severe crushing injuries, while other passengers sustained non-life-threatening trauma.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner later identified two people who died as a result of the collision as 46-year-old Daniel Castillo and 31-year-old Gage Weida.

Rios was booked on a $4 million bail, with the case moving to county prosecutors for formal charging decisions regarding suspected reckless driving, red-light violations and possible driving under the influence, according to police.

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed the later aircraft crash in Chatsworth, while NBCLA verified that NewsChopper4 was carrying Moreno and Manciniw.

A pedestrian, identified as 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, was also killed in the aviation incident, according to local authorities.

Veteran chopper pilot and former Emmy-winning news reporter Zoey Tur posted a clip of footage on X.

“If you listen, you could hear the low rotor RPM annunciator horn going off,” the expert wrote. “You could also hear the engine rev down. This was an engine failure, and slow response into entering an auto-rotation by PiC [Pilot in Command].”

NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement paying tribute to Marciniw and Moreno, both of whom hailed from Southern California.

“We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening,” the statement read. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”