Bailee Rios Pleads Not Guilty After Deadly Chatsworth Metro Bus Crash

Bailee Lynn Rios, 36, made her first official court appearance on September 24, 2026, and pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a deadly collision between an SUV and a Metro bus in Chatsworth.

Rios was brought into the courtroom on a hospital gurney while continuing to receive treatment for injuries sustained in the crash. She remains in custody on $4.1 million bail.

Rios faces two counts of second-degree murder, along with charges of driving under the influence of drugs causing injury and reckless driving. Prosecutors allege that she was driving a Ford Expedition the wrong way on September 15 when she ran a red light and collided with a Metro bus.

The crash killed two Metro passengers, identified as Daniel Castillo, 46, and Gage Weida, 31. Several other passengers were also injured in the collision.

The tragedy became even more complicated approximately two hours later when an NBC4 news helicopter covering the crash went down near the scene. The helicopter crash killed aerial reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and a person on the ground, Edy Gutierrez Mejia.

Despite the close timing of the two incidents, prosecutors have not filed additional charges against Rios directly related to the helicopter crash. Los Angeles prosecutors said they would await the findings of the federal investigation into the helicopter accident before determining whether there are legal grounds for any further charges.

The federal investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the helicopter’s flight and the factors that led to the crash. At this stage, no official conclusion has been reported linking Rios’s alleged driving conduct to the helicopter’s fall

The charges against Rios concern the Metro bus collision. Prosecutors’ allegations have not been proven in court, and Rios remains presumed innocent unless she is found guilty.

Her September 24 appearance marked the beginning of the formal court proceedings. The case is expected to involve evidence regarding the alleged wrong-way driving, the red-light violation, the drug-related driving allegation, and the deaths and injuries resulting from the crash.

Rios remains detained while the legal process continues. No final verdict has been reported.

Source: NY Post