Los Angeles SUV driver detained on murder suspicion — TimesLIVE
In Los Angeles, United States, 36-year-old Bailey Lynn Rios was detained on suspicion of murder after a fatal crash involving her Ford Expedition SUV and a city bus. According to police, at least two people were killed and six others were injured. As TimesLIVE reports, the woman was being held in a Los Angeles jail, with bail set at $4 million.
Circumstances of the bus crash
According to police, Rios was driving in the opposite lane on a busy street, ran a red light, collided with another vehicle and then crashed into the bus. Law enforcement officials also said that one passenger was completely ejected from the bus and another was partially ejected.
The people killed in the crash were identified as 46-year-old Los Angeles resident Daniel Castillo and 31-year-old Gage Weida. The district attorney's office is reviewing the case materials and must decide whether to bring charges against Rios in court or choose other charges.
The detained woman's mother, Cindy Rios, said she was shocked and saddened by the events. She noted that she had not spoken to her daughter since her detention and that law enforcement officials had not contacted her.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
TV helicopter crash
About two hours after the crash, a Eurocopter AS350 helicopter used by NBC and Telemundo to cover the accident crashed in the Chatsworth area of the San Fernando Valley. Reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniew died. Both were employees of Angel City Air, which operated the helicopter for the television channels.
Also killed in the crash was 29-year-old Eddie Gutierrez Mejia, who was in a parking lot. The Guatemalan consulate confirmed that he was a citizen of that country.
In the final seconds of video broadcast by the crew, an alarm could be heard in the cockpit, after which the helicopter began losing altitude. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Fabian Salazar said the recording was likely one of the most important pieces of evidence in the investigation. The board is also investigating the SUV's collision with the bus.
After the crash, the helicopter caught fire, burning at least four vehicles and two storage containers. Aviation expert Jeff Guzzetti suggested that the signal could indicate a dangerous drop in main rotor RPM or a possible loss of engine power. The official cause of the crash has not yet been established.
