Photo Courtesy of Frederick M. Brown for CA Post
When Bailee Lynn Rios was wheeled into a courtroom dock at the San Fernando Courthouse this morning for her arraignment, she was sitting up on a gurney with a somber expression and appeared almost motionless. She had two black eyes, remnants of last week’s deadly collision in Chatsworth, when she plowed into the side of an LA Metro bus with her SUV at high speed.
Two bus passengers died – Gage Weida and Daniel Castillo.
Eight members of Castillo’s family waited patiently for over two hours for Rios to appear for the hearing – they had been showing at the local courthouse since last week. Rios was a no-show for four consecutive scheduled hearings for unspecified medical reasons. Today the family appeared relieved when the court bailiff confirmed that Rios was finally on her way in.
The family members sat closely together in the hallway, speaking quietly with each other, and later side by side inside the half-full courtroom, which immediately quieted when Rios arrived, all eyes focused on her in the dock enclosure. Rios never looked anywhere except straight ahead or towards the judge’s bench.
During the proceedings she pleaded “not guilty,” which angered Castillo’s relatives, they admitted afterward.
“We’re all upset about this whole thing [and] obviously, we’re angry about that,” said one of the family members, who did not want to be identified. Though they were initially reluctant to speak with the media, they said they wanted justice for Castillo, who was the father of four.
“Daniel was a protector of our family,” she said. “We love him. We miss him, and we’re here for him.”