Authorities said the driver failed to slow down as he approached a work zone, triggering a chain-reaction crash that killed five people.
STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — The driver of a bus involved in a fatal crash on Interstate 95 in Virginia has been charged with manslaughter, authorities said.
Investigators said the bus hit multiple vehicles, setting off a chain reaction that left a family of four dead on their way to a wedding, as well as a woman who was traveling in another vehicle.
Virginia State Police said Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, was charged with two counts of manslaughter following a crash in Stafford County. Prosecutors said additional charges may be filed.
Investigators said the crash happened before dawn Friday in the southbound lanes where traffic was slowing on the way to a work zone.
Police said the bus failed to slow down and hit a Chevrolet Suburban, causing a chain reaction involving multiple vehicles.
A Suburban was pushed into an Acura SUV carrying a family from Greenfield, Massachusetts. The Acura later caught fire, authorities said.
The four members of the Doncev family who died in the accident were identified as Dimitri, 45, Ecaterina, 44, and the couple’s two children, Emily, 13, and Mark, 7.
Police also identified another victim as 25-year-old Priscilla Mafalda of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was inside a Chevrolet Suburban.
Authorities said the Donsevs were traveling to South Carolina to attend a wedding.
The Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said Dong drove the bus in a “criminally negligent manner.” Prosecutors said a magistrate authorized Dong to be detained without bail while he receives treatment for injuries sustained in the crash.
Prosecutors said he will make his first court appearance after being released from the hospital.
The bus was operated by E&P Travel Inc., a North Carolina-based company that operates overnight trips from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.
The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the accident. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) board member Tom Chapman said investigators believe the bus was traveling at a high rate of speed before the impact.
“It seems pretty clear that if there was any braking, it wouldn’t have been too great because of the speed and severity of the collision, but it’s too early to know exactly what happened on the vehicle,” Chapman said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said investigators are also reviewing the driver’s activities in the days leading up to the crash, including possible fatigue, distraction and other factors.
court records censored WUSA9 reported that Dong was scheduled to attend a Maryland traffic court hearing related to charges that he drove a white coach bus over the speed limit of 22 mph in March.
Authorities said 44 people were injured in Friday’s crash. As of Saturday, four people remained hospitalized, one of whom was in critical condition.
The NTSB said it expects to issue a preliminary report within 30 days, while a final report could take up to two years.
