Woman accused of causing fatal bus crash in Southern California charged

LOS ANGELES (NBC, KYMA) - The woman behind the wheel of the SUV that slammed into an L.A. Metro bus on Tuesday, killing two passengers and sending six others to the hospital, has been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes.

Prosecutors announced Thursday that 36-year-old Bailee Rios of Simi Valley was the driver of the 2004 Ford Expedition that ended up partially inside the Metro bus at a Chatsworth intersection.

It was also that deadly bus crash an NBC Los Angeles news crew was covering above the scene when their helicopter went down nearby.

However, prosecutors say at this point, they are not charging rios with the helicopter crash deaths, pending the outcome of the federal investigation.

Rios, who was injured in the crash, also faces DUI and reckless driving charges.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges during a press conference Thursday afternoon.

"That was all preventable had Miss Rios actually done the same, sensible, and legal thing of either not getting behind the wheel or driving appropriately, but she chose, and that was a choice by her to do what she did, and that choice has resulted in deadly and destructive consequences," Hochman expressed.

Rios' bail is set a $4.1 million.