STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (7News) — A motorcoach bus collided with multiple vehicles on Interstate 95, resulting in five fatalities and injuries to dozens early Friday morning.
The incident occurred at 2:35 a.m. on May 29, southbound near mile marker 146, approximately two miles south of the Quantico exit. According to authorities, the bus rear-ended traffic slowing for a work zone, initiating a chain-reaction crash involving at least eight vehicles.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting an investigation alongside the Virginia State Police (VSP). A preliminary report is anticipated within 30 days, while a final report may take 12 to 24 months.
The charter bus, operated by E&P Travel, was traveling from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, with roughly 34 occupants. Witnesses reported that the bus struck a Chevrolet Suburban, pushing it into an Acura SUV and further impacting other vehicles. The Acura caught fire after the collisions.
Among the deceased were four individuals in the Acura: a 45-year-old male, a 44-year-old female, a 13-year-old female, and a 7-year-old male, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts. The fifth fatality, Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was in the Suburban. A total of 44 individuals were taken to hospitals, with three sustaining critical injuries.
The bus driver, Jing Sheng Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, suffered injuries as well and has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. He is currently hospitalized and in custody, awaiting a court appearance.
Mary Washington Healthcare reported receiving 19 patients from the incident, with four remaining hospitalized as of Saturday. The investigation will examine driver actions, vehicle condition, highway design, and operator practices.