Five people were killed and dozens injured after a bus crashed into several vehicles slowing for a work zone on Interstate 95 near Quantico early Friday, authorities said.
The crash happened at around 2:35am on the southbound side of I-95 at the 146-mile marker in Stafford County, forcing lanes to close for several hours.
Virginia State Police said the preliminary investigation showed traffic was slowing for an upcoming work zone when the bus failed to slow down and struck six vehicles.
The bus first hit a Chevrolet Suburban, which was then pushed into an Acura SUV, along with other vehicles. Images released by police showed the damaged bus lying in a grassy area along the motorway.
Five victims in vehicles hit by bus
Police said all five people who died were in vehicles struck by the bus and were not passengers on it. Four victims were in the Acura SUV, which caught fire after the crash. They were identified by police as a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts.
Their names were not released by police, but Providence Christian Academy said the victims were Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their children, Emily and Mark.
“The Doncev family was a cherished part of our school community, and their loss is being felt deeply by our students, families, faculty, and staff,” the school said.
The fifth victim was a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts, who was travelling in the Suburban.
Dozens taken to hospitals
At least 44 people were taken to hospitals after the crash, including three in critical condition.
Mary Washington Healthcare said it received 19 patients. Seven were taken to its trauma center in Fredericksburg, where one remained in critical condition, two were in serious condition, three were in fair condition and one had been treated and discharged.
Twelve patients were taken to Stafford Hospital and were later discharged in good condition.
Another 15 patients were taken to Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center, where they were treated and released in good condition, according to HCA Healthcare.
State police identified the bus driver as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York. Dong was also injured and taken to hospital. Authorities said charges are pending and investigators are reviewing the driver’s actions before the crash.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Dong is an American citizen originally from China who obtained a commercial driver’s license two years ago in New York.
Duffy said the Department of Transportation is assisting with the investigation and reviewing Dong’s training documents, driver history and New York licensing records.
Bus travelling from New York to North Carolina
The bus was operated by E&P Travel Inc., based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Police said it was travelling from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, with approximately 34 passengers on board.
A compliance snapshot from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration showed the company had one injury accident involving its vehicles in the previous two years and a “satisfactory” safety rating.
The company was incorporated on November 24, 2023, by Shuo Liu, who is also listed as its registered agent. FMCSA records show the company operated four vehicles and had 11 drivers.
Rescue teams describe devastating scene
Multiple fire and rescue departments responded to the crash, including 13 transport units, two heavy rescue squads, multiple engines and trucks, and Fire and Emergency Services from Quantico Marine Corps Base.
The Stafford County Fire Fighters Union said crews arrived at a “devastating scene” involving multiple vehicles, numerous injured occupants and several vehicles on fire.
Heavy rescue crews worked to free trapped victims while engine personnel fought vehicle fires and secured the scene.
Peyton Vogel, a Federal Transit Administration spokesperson who was at the scene, called the crash “one of the most tragic things” he had ever seen.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a “go-team” to conduct a safety investigation into the crash.
State police said the crash remains under investigation, while southbound lanes of I-95 were closed for around seven hours and later fully reopened.
A state transportation advisory said traffic remained backed up for a couple of miles even after the lanes reopened by noon. A police spokesperson also said two additional crashes were reported near the original crash location.
Passenger bus safety under scrutiny
Although authorities have not yet determined the cause of Friday’s crash, federal officials have long dealt with interstate passenger bus safety concerns.
After a series of passenger bus crashes in 2008 killed 41 people, the US Department of Transportation issued a Motorcoach Safety Action Plan.
The NTSB investigated 16 fatal motorcoach crashes between June 1998 and January 2008 and found that driver-related issues, including fatigue, medical conditions and inattention, accounted for 56% of accidents.
The agency said driver-related problems were responsible for 60% of fatalities in those crashes.
Recommended safety actions included a pre-employment driver history screening program and a national drug and alcohol testing database to help motorcoach operators identify drivers with past violations of federal rules.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger expressed grief over the deadly crash and offered prayers for the injured.
“My heart is with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and I am praying for a quick recovery for those injured,” she said.
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