LOS ANGELES — The woman accused of ramming into a Los Angeles city bus Tuesday has been charged with second-degree murder in the deadly crash, officials announced Thursday.Bailee Lynn Rios, 36, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the crash, which killed two passengers.While it was covering the tragedy, a news helicopter crashed nearby, killing the reporter and the pilot on board and a pedestrian on the ground.
“What is particularly tragic about this case is that this is a preventable tragedy,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters.In addition to the two counts of second-degree murder, Rios has also been charged with driving under the influence of a drug and reckless driving, according to a complaint.“She will be looking at a maximum sentence of life in prison,” Hochman said.It was not immediately clear whether Rios had an attorney who could speak on her behalf.According to police, Rios drove her 2004 Ford Expedition the wrong way down a busy street, ran a red light and hit a car before she slammed into the bus.She was rescued by first responders and taken to a local hospital.Investigators found drugs in Rios’ car following the wreck, and prosecutors suspect she was driving under the influence, Hochman said.
“She was driving well beyond the speed limit, she entered into opposing traffic because she was approaching a red light where cars were stopped, and she didn’t stop,” he said.One passenger was fully ejected from the bus and another was partially ejected, police said.Video from the scene in Chatsworth, a neighborhood in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, showed Rios’ SUV partially wedged into the middle of the bus.
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