Prosecutors say Bailee Rios was under the influence of drugs when her SUV struck an in-service Metro bus.
LOS ANGELES — A 36-year-old Simi Valley woman faces two counts of second-degree murder after prosecutors said she drove the wrong way at high speed, ran a red light and crashed an SUV into a Metro bus in Chatsworth, killing two passengers and injuring five others.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges Thursday against Bailee Lynn Rios. She also faces a felony count of driving under the influence of a drug causing injury and a misdemeanor reckless-driving charge. Prosecutors said Rios could face life in prison with the possibility of parole if convicted as charged. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Authorities said the collision happened at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue. According to Los Angeles police, Rios was driving a gray 2004 Ford Expedition south in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue when she approached a red light at high speed, nearly struck another vehicle and crashed into the side of a Metro Line 166 bus carrying passengers.
The crash killed Daniel Castillo, 46, and Gage Weida, 31. Police said one bus passenger was fully ejected and another was partially ejected in the collision. One person suffered serious injuries, while other patients taken to hospitals had injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Rios also was injured and received hospital treatment before being taken into custody.
Hochman said Thursday that investigators determined Rios had drugs in her system and that narcotics were found in her vehicle. He said testing was continuing to determine the drugs involved and their quantities. Prosecutors have not publicly released a final chemical analysis. The district attorney described the collision as the result of allegedly impaired and dangerous driving.
Rios was arrested by investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Traffic Division and booked on suspicion of murder. She was later formally charged in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Her bail was set at about $4 million. A court appearance planned for Thursday did not take place after what authorities described as a medical event, and she was expected to be arraigned Friday in San Fernando.
The murder charges raise the stakes of a case that initially began as an investigation into a deadly traffic collision. Second-degree murder charges in California require prosecutors to prove elements beyond those needed for an ordinary negligence case. The criminal complaint also includes a charge alleging that Rios drove under the influence of a drug and caused injury.
The deaths of Castillo and Weida have brought grief to families who described both men as deeply loved. Weida’s family said he was traveling to work when the crash happened. Castillo’s family remembered him as a devoted father and sports fan who brought laughter to family gatherings and cared for people around him.
The bus collision was followed about two hours later by another deadly incident nearby. A news helicopter covering the crash went down in Chatsworth, killing the pilot, a journalist aboard the aircraft and a person on the ground. Federal authorities are investigating that crash separately. Hochman said his office would review the federal findings to determine whether they have any legal connection to the prosecution arising from the bus collision.
As of Friday morning, Rios was expected to appear in Los Angeles County Superior Court for arraignment. Prosecutors said the investigation into the bus crash remains active, while testing continues on evidence related to the allegation that she was under the influence.
Author note: Last updated September 18, 2026.