A 36-year-old driver has been arrested on suspicion of murder following a bus collision in Los Angeles that left two people dead, shortly before a news helicopter covering the aftermath crashed and killed three more.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Bailee Lynn Rios was taken into custody with bail set at $4 million. Officers say Ms Rios was driving a grey 2004 Ford Expedition when it collided with a Los Angeles Metro bus at an intersection in Chatsworth, north-west of central LA, at around 5pm on Tuesday.

The force of the collision forced both vehicles off the road and onto the pavement. In an official statement, the LAPD said: "The impact fully ejected one passenger from the bus and partially ejected a second."

Two passengers on board the bus, 31-year-old Gage Weida and 46-year-old Daniel Castillo, died from their injuries. Six other people were hurt in the crash, including Ms Rios herself.

A witness to the collision said the SUV had swerved into oncoming traffic and allegedly ran a red light before hitting the bus. The witness described the car travelling at "freeway speed", adding that the crash produced the "loudest sound I could imagine".

Around two hours later, an Airbus Helicopters AS350 B-2 operated for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 to cover the bus crash plummeted into a self-storage facility car park, striking two shipping containers and several vehicles.

The helicopter crash killed reporter Eliana Moreno, 38, pilot George Marciniw, 70, and a pedestrian on the ground, Edy Fernando Gutierrez Mejia. Mr Mejia, a Guatemalan national, had arrived in Los Angeles just two days before the disaster.

Ms Moreno had reported from aircraft since 2010, covering major local events, police chases, and wildfires, and was due to marry her partner, Robert Barrientos. Her pilot, Mr Marciniw, had logged more than 14,000 flight hours and had flown with her since 2023. Video footage from the flight captured Ms Moreno asking, "You can't pull up?" as the aircraft rapidly lost altitude.

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the September 15 aviation disaster. Investigators are attempting to recover clean audio recordings from the scene to carry out a full sound spectrum analysis.

Fabian Salazar, a senior air safety investigator with the NTSB, told reporters: "We are clearly hearing sounds that are consistent with the engine changing its speed." Authorities are examining whether mechanical issues or other factors contributed to the sudden descent.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass paid tribute to the victims and emergency services, while NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement offering condolences to the families and colleagues of those who died.

What we do not know yet is what caused the aircraft's sudden loss of engine speed, or when prosecutors will formally present the case against Ms Rios in court. I'll be following this one — check back for updates.