The Valley community was shaken this week as a string of traffic accidents dominated the news. From reckless drivers to unimaginable accidents, it seems as if there was an inundation of tragic news hitting the headlines.
This past Saturday, emergency personnel responded to a traffic collision at approximately 11:15 am at the intersection of Densmore Ave. and Ventura Blvd. in Encino. Six individuals were involved in a two-vehicle crash that left one woman dead and the rest seriously injured.
According to reports, a white Lexus and a blue Tesla crashed, causing deployment of all airbags and the toppling of a Banc of California sign, which fell on an individual. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, but neighbors have reported this is the second crash in the same area within a month.
In response to this tragedy, the Encino Property Owners Association is calling on the LAPD Valley Traffic Division and local City officials to “provide greater focused enforcement of traffic laws to protect public safety in Encino.” The group cites little to no enforcement of speed on Ventura Blvd. and surrounding high-traffic residential streets.
In another traffic accident, that quickly escalated into a two-event catastrophe, a crash involving a Metro bus in Chatsworth left three people dead and six others injured. According to a witness, 36-year-old Bailee Rios was going “lightning fast” traveling southbound on De Soto Ave. when she ran a red light and t-boned a Metro Line 166 bus traveling eastbound on Nordhoff St.
Los Angeles Fire Department personnel were called to the scene shortly after 5 pm on Tuesday and began rescue attempts on individuals who were still trapped inside the Metro bus. Rios, a Simi Valley resident, survived and was taken to a local hospital. Following her release, she was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder. Her bail has been set at $4 million. The names of the deceased have not yet been released.
Following the Metro accident, a fatal collision occurred near the 9100 block of North Mason Ave., when a helicopter covering the traffic incident lost power mid-reporting around 7 pm and crashed into a nearby storage facility. Given the chaotic nature of the scene, it took time before authorities were able to identify the helicopter as multiple news stations and law enforcement were covering the scene from the air. In the midst of various news stations confirming that they had made contact with their aerial reporters, NBC4 announced that they were unable to make contact with their own helicopter.
NBC4 reporter Colleen Williams confirmed during the live broadcast of the incident that pilot George Marciniw and aerial reporter Eliana Moreno of NBC4 were inside the helicopter when it crashed and were confirmed dead. One other individual, 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was nearby when the helicopter crashed also lost their life. NBC4 news station took a few minutes off air to collect themselves in the newsroom and other local new stations grounded their helicopters.
While speculation has pointed to mechanical failure of the helicopter as the cause of the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have begun an official investigation. In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, authorities did not have answers as to why the helicopter crashed, but a preliminary report on the incident is expected in the next 30 days.
NBC4 released a statement saying, “We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”
Mayor Karen Bass arrived on the scene and held a brief press conference to address the tragedies. “This is a heartbreaking night for our city, and my thoughts and prayers are first and foremost with the families and loved ones that we lost today,” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference late Tuesday. “Our hearts are with those impacted by the bus collision and the helicopter crash, and with the entire community who lost members of their team while they were doing their job.”
Councilmember Nithya Raman later released her own sentiments, expressing, “This is a heartbreaking night for Los Angeles. My heart is with the loved ones of those lost in Chatsworth, everyone injured, and those anxiously awaiting information about someone they love. I am also thinking of the journalists and news crews reporting while their own community awaits answers.Details are still emerging, but we are grateful to all the firefighters, paramedics and emergency personnel responding to two extraordinarily difficult scenes. Tonight, all of Los Angeles is holding the Chatsworth community and our local news community close.”
