Bailee Rios: Drugs found in SUV of driver charged in fatal Chatsworth Metro bus crash
Driver in fatal Chatsworth Metro crash to face murder charges
Bailee Rios, the woman accused of slamming her SUV into a Metro bus in Chatsworth, killing two people and injuring six others, will be charged with second-degree murder, DUI and reckless driving, DA Hochman announced.
LOS ANGELES - A Simi Valley woman facing murder charges after allegedly crashing her SUV into a Metro bus in Chatsworth, killing two people and injuring six others, was found with narcotics and drug paraphernalia, according to sources.
What we know:
Bailee Rios, 36, had her arraignment at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in San Fernando pushed to Friday due to a medical hold, following her arrest by the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Traffic Division after investigators recovered drug paraphernalia and suspected methamphetamine from her belongings.
Driver charged with murder
LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochamn on Thursday said second-degree murder charges will be filed against Rios. She will also be charged with driving under the influence and reckless driving. The charges could lead to a life prison sentence.
Hochman said Rios was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash, and narcotics were found in her SUV. He did not specify what type of drugs were found.
"She chose ... to do what she did, and that choice has resulted in deadly and destructive consequences," Hochman said.
The criminal case was filed Thursday afternoon, charging Rios with two counts of murder and one felony count of driving under the influence causing injury, along with a misdemeanor count of reckless driving. The charges include various allegations of causing great bodily injury.
Rios was scheduled to be arraigned Friday in San Fernando.
Two killed in Metro crash
The backstory:
Police allege that Rios drove a gray 2004 Ford Expedition southbound in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue shortly after 5 p.m., ran a red light, and broadsided a Metro Line 166 bus near Nordhoff Street.
The violent impact ejected one passenger, partially ejected a second, and trapped a woman inside who suffered severe crushing injuries, while debris damaged a nearby Honda CR-V., according to authorities.
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Two victims died at the scene, identified by the county medical examiner as 46-year-old Daniel Castillo and 31-year-old Gage Weida. Six others were hospitalized, including Rios, who was treated for her injuries before being booked on suspicion of murder with bail set at $4.03 million.
Driver in Chatsworth crash had history of substance abuse, relative says
Bailee Rios is being held on $4 million bail after running a red light and crashing into a Metro bus, killing two. FOX 11 spoke to a relative of hers who said she has a history of substance abuse and prior misdemeanors.
Shortly after the collision, an NBCLA news helicopter reporting on the crash went down blocks away, killing pilot George Marciniw, reporter Eliana Moreno, and Edy Gutierrez Mejia on the ground.
What we don't know:
The recovered narcotics are undergoing official laboratory testing to verify their composition, and toxicological results for Rios have not yet been publicly released.
Sources: Drugs found at scene may belong to bus crash suspect
Investigators confirmed narcotics and paraphernalia were recovered from the driver charged in the deadly Chatsworth Metro bus crash.
Additionally, aviation officials have not determined what mechanical or environmental factors caused the news helicopter to crash during its coverage of the initial scene.
What's next:
Rios is expected to appear in court on Friday, September 18.
Meanwhile, local authorities, along with federal transportation investigators looking into the air crash, will continue gathering evidence from both scenes to determine the full chain of events.
Community members plan to gather for a vigil from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at St. John Eudes Church in Chatsworth to honor all five victims killed in the two tragedies.
What you can do:
Residents who witnessed either collision or have dashcam footage from the area of De Soto Avenue and Nordhoff Street around 5 p.m. Tuesday are encouraged to contact the LAPD Valley Traffic Division.
Local community members wishing to pay their respects or support the grieving families can attend the public vigil hosted at St. John Eudes Church in Chatsworth on Thursday evening.
The Source: This report is compiled directly from official statements provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, verified Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department jail records, and public statements from Metro spokesman Jose Ubaldo and Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. Victim identifications were established through formal releases from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. City News Service contributed.