Bailee Lynn Rios has been identified as the woman driving the SUV which crashed into the Metro bus in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California on September 15. The incident left two dead. They have been identified as Gage Weida, 31, and Daniel Castillo, 46.
Later, a NBC Los Angeles helicopter covering the vehicle mishap crashed killing three and injuring one. The deceased have been identified as reporter Eliana Moreno, chopper pilot George Marciniw, and Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground when the helicopter came down.
Meanwhile, here's all you need to know about Bailee Lynn Rios.
Who is Bailee Lynn Rios? 5 things to know
- Rios is 36 and from Simi Valley. She was booked on Wednesday.
- Rios faces two murder charges and bail has been set at $4.03 million.
- Rios was previously convicted of misdemeanor drug possession in 2016 after she pled guilty. She was charged with the same offense in 2022 but they were dismissed. Then, in the same year, Rios was convicted for driving with a suspended license, as per records accessed by ABC 7.
- As per Rios' Facebook account, she's in a relationship with one Brad Smith. She reportedly studied at Simi Valley High School and pursued a psychology degree at Moorpark College.
- Rios' Facebook account also notes that she worked as a model at Hollister Co. in Huntington Beach, California, before joining Consulting Tax Group, LLC as an Assistant Manager.
Bailee Lynn Rios' Facebook, last text in focus
Rios' Facebook profile came into focus after her arrest. Several people flocked to the comment section of a giveaway post for alcohol back from 2025. “The DA will LOVE this post,” one remarked. Another added “Yikes....you were FLYING thru that intersection.” Yet another said “Can't wait to see the toxicology report.” Despite the allegations, there's no official report about Rios driving under the influence at the time of the accident.
{{/usCountry}}Rios' Facebook profile came into focus after her arrest. Several people flocked to the comment section of a giveaway post for alcohol back from 2025. “The DA will LOVE this post,” one remarked. Another added “Yikes....you were FLYING thru that intersection.” Yet another said “Can't wait to see the toxicology report.” Despite the allegations, there's no official report about Rios driving under the influence at the time of the accident.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw's photos go viral as many mourn NBC Los Angeles helicopter crash deaths
Meanwhile, The California Post reported that Rios had ‘big concerns’ as per her friend Brad Aragon. She had texted him “Brad, it’s not a joking matter on this bf thing its serious and im honestly scared but yes of course imma come see you,” hours before the crash with the Metro bus.
“She was saying lately that she was associating with certain people that she shouldn’t be associating with. I was going to help her with that,” Aragon told the publication. He is the son of “Golden Boy” Art Aragon, a boxing legend, and currently lives in Houston, Texas. As per Aragon, he met Rios 11 years back in Los Angeles while he was a dealing drugs.