A deadly chain of events unfolded in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening when an SUV crashed into a city bus in Chatsworth, followed less than two hours later by a news helicopter crash nearby.

The first incident happened at around 5 p.m., when an SUV allegedly driven by Bailee Lynn Rios crashed into an LA Metro bus. Authorities said Rios ran a red light and was allegedly impaired by drugs while driving at a high speed.

Two bus passengers, 31-year-old Gage Weida and 46-year-old Daniel Castillo, were killed in the collision. Several other people were injured, while firefighters used specialized rescue equipment to free people trapped inside the vehicles.

As emergency crews continued working at the crash scene, a second tragedy occurred. At about 6:57 p.m., a news helicopter providing aerial coverage of the accident crashed into a parking lot less than a mile away.

The helicopter, operated for NBC4, struck a shipping container as it descended before bursting into flames. The crash killed journalist and aerial photojournalist Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and 29-year-old Guatemalan tourist Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground.

The helicopter crash shocked the local news community because NBC4 had been covering the earlier bus collision. The station initially lost contact with its helicopter crew before confirming that its aircraft had gone down.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are examining the helicopter wreckage and reviewing video and other evidence to determine what caused the crash. The NTSB said a preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while determining the probable cause could take considerably longer.

Meanwhile, Rios faces charges including second-degree murder, driving under the influence and reckless driving in connection with the bus crash. Prosecutors said she could face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

The two crashes left five people dead and deeply affected the Chatsworth community. Local officials and residents gathered at a vigil to remember the victims, while first responders and members of the news industry mourned those who died.

Authorities continue investigating both incidents as the families of the five victims begin dealing with the consequences of the back-to-back tragedies.

Source: CNN, updated September 20, 2026.