STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (7News) — A charter bus collided with slowing traffic in a work zone on I-95, resulting in five fatalities and 44 injuries early May 29.
The incident occurred around 2:35 a.m. southbound near mile marker 146, approximately two miles south of the Quantico exit. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Virginia State Police (VSP) are examining the crash.
Authorities confirmed the charter bus, operated by E&P Travel, was en route from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, when it struck a Chevrolet Suburban, which was then forced into an Acura SUV and additional vehicles.
The deceased include two children, aged 7 and 13, and two adults, a 45-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts, as well as a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts, who was in the Suburban. A total of 19 individuals were transported to hospitals, with four remaining hospitalized as of 3 p.m. Saturday, including one in critical condition.
NTSB officials stated the ongoing investigation will review driver actions, vehicle condition, and work zone design. Witness accounts and video evidence are also being sought.
The driver, 48-year-old Jing S. Dong from Staten Island, sustained injuries in the crash, and charges are pending, according to VSP. E&P Travel operates four vehicles, as recorded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The Department of Transportation is currently reviewing the driver's licensing records and training history.