Bailee Lynn Rios, the woman accused of killing two passengers in a high-speed collision between an SUV and a Metro bus in Chatsworth, has had her court appearance postponed again after a judge ruled she was not medically fit to enter a plea.
The 36-year-old, from Simi Valley, was due before a judge at the San Fernando courthouse on Monday, 21 September. Her arraignment had already been delayed after she was brought to court by ambulance on Friday and wheeled in on a gurney.
Rios was not considered conscious enough to understand the proceedings or formally respond to the charges, according to the court. She has suffered multiple fractures and bruised ribs in the crash and is reportedly unable to walk.
She faces two counts of second-degree murder, driving under the influence of drugs causing injury and reckless driving. Prosecutors allege that she was impaired when she drove a Ford Expedition at high speed in the wrong direction along De Soto Avenue before running a red light at Nordhoff Street.
The SUV struck an eastbound Metro Line 166 bus shortly after 5pm on 15 September. Los Angeles County prosecutors say two people were killed and at least five others were injured; other reports have put the number of injured passengers at six, including Rios.
The victims were identified as 31-year-old Gage Weida and 46-year-old Daniel Castillo, a father of four. One passenger was ejected from the bus during the impact, according to investigators.
Prosecutors say toxicology testing indicated that drugs were in Rios’s system at the time of the collision. Law enforcement sources also said suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, including a pipe, were found in her vehicle.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has alleged that Rios was driving well above the speed limit on the wrong side of the road when she entered the intersection. The charges remain allegations, and Rios is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Relatives of Mr Castillo attended Friday’s hearing and criticised the repeated delays. One family member said: “She broke our family, and she needs to pay, and all this BS about her medicals, it’s unacceptable.”
The collision happened about two hours before a news helicopter covering the crash came down nearby, killing three people. The separate incident brought the total number of deaths linked to the tragedy in Chatsworth to five.
Rios remains in custody under the supervision of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Her next court appearance will depend on whether she is medically able to take part in the proceedings.
