Arrest made in deadly bus crash just before news helicopter crash in Chatsworth

CHATSWORTH, Calif. (KESQ) - A woman was in custody today for allegedly slamming her SUV into a Metro bus in Chatsworth, killing two people and injuring six others -- in a collision that was later the scene of a deadly TV news helicopter crash.

The crash occurred just after 5 p.m. Tuesday in the 20900 block of Nordhoff Street, near De Soto Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The Metro Line 166 bus was traveling east on Nordhoff when it was hit by the SUV traveling southbound on De Soto Avenue, according to Metro.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the driver of the gray 2004 Ford Expedition, later identified as Bailee Rios, 36, of Simi Valley, was driving south in the northbound lanes of De Soto when she ran a red light and nearly collided with an eastbound vehicle before hitting the bus broadside.

"The impact fully ejected one passenger from the bus and partially ejected a second,'' according to an LAPD statement. "Debris from the collision also damaged a blue 2024 Honda CR-V that was stopped, facing northbound, on De Soto Avenue at Nordhoff Street."

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene and one suffered serious injuries, police said.  

"The other passengers transported to local hospitals sustained non-life-threatening injuries,'' police said, adding that a total of six patients were transported.   

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department online jail records indicate Ross was arrested Tuesday night by investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Traffic Division and was booked on suspicion of murder with bail set at $4.03 million.

The county medical examiner on Wednesday identified the victims as Daniel Castillo, 46, who died on the bus, and Gage Weida, 31, who died on the street nearby, having apparently been thrown from the bus during the collision.   

The SUV driver was among those injured in the collision and taken to a hospital, according to Metro spokesman Jose Ubaldo. Metro previously indicated the driver had died at the hospital, but that report turned out to be unfounded.

Video from the scene showed Los Angeles Fire Department crews tending to multiple patients, and frantically working to free a woman who was trapped inside the bus. She was eventually freed and quickly loaded into an ambulance, having suffered with what crews on scene described as ``crushing'' injuries.   

A white medical examiner's tent was erected at the scene of the bus crash where the vehicle collided with the bus, video from later in the night showed.

A large number of ambulances and fire engines responded to the scene.   

An NBC4 helicopter crew that was reporting on the fatal bus collision crashed just blocks away shortly before 7 p.m., killing three people, including the reporter and the pilot onboard the helicopter and one person on the ground, and injuring two others.

Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, whose Third District includes Chatsworth, said she was working with local authorities to understand what happened.   

"I'm heartbroken by the devastating crash in Chatsworth. My thoughts are first and foremost with those who lost their lives, their families and loved ones, and everyone who was injured,'' she said. "My office is in close contact with local authorities and Metro as we work to understand what happened and ensure those affected have the support they need. Thank you to the first responders who rushed to the scene and are caring for those in need.''