Virginia Bus Driver Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter After Crash That Killed 5 and Injured 44
A tour bus crash on Interstate 95 near Quantico, Virginia, killed five people and injured dozens after the bus struck slow-moving traffic in a work zone early Friday morning, according to Virginia State Police. Authorities said the bus was traveling southbound at a high rate of speed when it hit one or more vehicles in congested traffic around 2:35 a.m., triggering a chain-reaction collision involving at least eight vehicles.
Virginia State Police arrested and charged the driver, identified as 48-year-old Jing S. Dong of Staten Island, New York, with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Officials said additional charges are pending as investigators examine the driver’s actions before the crash. Dong was also injured and remains hospitalized while in custody. He will be held without bond and is expected to make his first court appearance after being released from the hospital.
The bus was operated by North Carolina-based E&P Travel and was carrying 34 people on a trip from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina. Police said the five people killed were not on the bus. Four of the victims were inside the same vehicle, an Acura, including two children. The victims in that car ranged in age from 7 to 45 years old. The fifth victim was identified as Priscilla Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was in a Chevrolet Suburban struck by the bus. The other four victims have not yet been publicly identified.
Emergency crews from multiple fire and rescue departments responded, including heavy rescue units, engines, transport teams and personnel from Quantico Marine Corps Base. First responders described a severe scene involving multiple vehicles, trapped occupants and several fires. Rescue teams worked to free victims while firefighters extinguished vehicle fires and secured the crash area.
Officials said 44 additional people were injured in the crash. Three of those transported to hospitals suffered critical injuries. Nineteen patients were taken to Mary Washington Healthcare facilities, including five who remain under treatment at the trauma center in Fredericksburg. Twelve others were taken to Stafford Hospital and later discharged, while 15 more were treated and released from Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center.
The Virginia State Police and Stafford Commonwealth’s Attorney said probable cause exists to believe the bus driver acted in a criminally negligent manner. The U.S. Department of Transportation is assisting with the investigation and reviewing the driver’s training records, driving history and New York licensing documents. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said her thoughts are with the victims and their families.
The National Transportation Safety Board has opened a parallel safety investigation. Investigators are looking at the driver’s actions, possible vehicle issues, roadway conditions, speed limit signs, work zone design and traffic management. They are also examining possible factors such as fatigue, impairment, medical issues and other human causes. The NTSB expects to release a preliminary report within 30 days, while a final report could take one to two years.
