A devastating chain of events leaves five dead in Chatsworth
Goldlaner.com – A deadly crash involving an SUV and an LA Metro bus in Chatsworth set off an extraordinary sequence of emergencies Tuesday night, ending with a news helicopter crash just blocks away. Five people were killed across the two incidents, while families, first responders and the local television community were left confronting a night of sudden loss.
The first collision occurred at roughly 5 p.m. in the suburban Los Angeles neighborhood, where a Ford Expedition crashed into an eastbound Metro bus carrying people on their way home, to work or to evening plans. Two bus passengers, Gage Weida, 31, and Daniel Castillo, 46, died at the scene.
Within about two hours, a helicopter covering the aftermath of that crash fell into a parking lot one block east, erupting in flames. The aircraft was being used by KNBC-TV NBC4 and KVEA-TV for aerial coverage. Aerial photojournalist-reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were killed, along with Edy Gutierrez Mejia, a young tourist who was on the ground.
Rescuers faced a second catastrophe
Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Brandon Silverman said firefighters were still working through the difficult aftermath of the bus crash when someone in the crowd shouted that a helicopter had gone down. He turned to see black smoke rising from a nearby parking lot.
His crew had been extracting injured people from crushed metal and shattered glass when the new emergency began. Firefighters, police officers and journalists redirected their attention toward the burning helicopter.
“To have two incidents of that significance in that short amount of time within a few blocks of each other is definitely a unique situation for any department,” Silverman said.
The back-to-back disasters created an especially traumatic scene for emergency personnel. The initial crash required rescue workers to free people trapped in the bus and SUV, while the helicopter impact added a fire response and a new group of victims to an already overwhelming night.
Bus crash investigation and criminal case
Authorities have described the bus collision as preventable. Prosecutors allege that Bailee Lynn Rios was impaired by drugs when she drove the Ford Expedition at excessive speed toward a red light. Narcotics were found inside the vehicle, officials said.
Rios allegedly entered oncoming lanes because traffic had stopped at the red light, then struck the bus with full force after narrowly missing another vehicle. She has been charged with second-degree murder, driving under the influence and reckless driving. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said she could face a possible life sentence if convicted.
“People on that bus at about 5 p.m. were either going to work or maybe coming from work. They might be going to get a bite to eat, to see family or friends,” Hochman said at a Thursday news conference. “What they did not expect is what was about to happen.”
The SUV became lodged almost entirely inside the bus. One person was thrown into an intersection, while others were trapped in the damaged vehicles. The injured bus driver immediately contacted the bus operating division for help, said Stephanie Wiggins, chief executive of the LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Firefighters used hydraulic rescue equipment, including tools commonly known as the Jaws of Life, as well as reciprocating saws to remove part of a vehicle door and reach Rios. A trapped bus passenger and Rios were taken to a hospital after being freed.
Focus turns to the helicopter crash
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are examining why the helicopter went down. Investigators consider video showing the aircraft descending to be an important piece of evidence as they work to establish the cause.
The crash transformed a news-gathering mission into another fatal event. Moreno, an engaged reporter, and Marciniw, a veteran pilot nearing retirement, were among the three people killed in the helicopter disaster. Gutierrez Mejia had recently arrived in Los Angeles from Guatemala as a tourist.
Together with Weida, a father of four, and Castillo, a Los Angeles resident whose birthday was approaching, their deaths represent five lives abruptly cut short during a single evening.
A community mourns
City and state leaders have joined loved ones and colleagues in expressing grief. A Thursday vigil reflected the wider shock felt across Chatsworth and Los Angeles, where ordinary commutes and a routine news assignment became part of a devastating chain of events.
“My heart is with the families whose lives changed forever Tuesday night. Simply going to work, coming from work to come back to your family, you expect to see them,” Mayor Karen Bass said at the vigil. “And they never arrive.”
The circumstances underline the human stakes behind major traffic crashes and emergency responses. Passengers boarding public transit, visitors exploring a new city, and journalists documenting a breaking story all became connected by events that unfolded in minutes.
As investigators continue their work, the immediate focus remains on the victims and the people closest to them. For firefighters and police officers who moved from one life-threatening scene to another, and for the colleagues of Moreno and Marciniw, Tuesday night will remain a stark reminder of how quickly a routine call can become an unprecedented emergency.
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