The driver of a tour bus involved in a multi-vehicle crash that killed five people on Interstate 95 has been arrested and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Stafford Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Olsen announced Saturday that his office authorized felony warrants based on evidence showing the bus was traveling at a high rate of speed when it struck slowed traffic in a work zone, causing a chain-reaction crash involving at least eight vehicles.
Jing Sheng Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, was served with the warrants while hospitalized for injuries sustained in the crash. He was arrested by Virginia State Police on Saturday and is being held without bond. Each count of involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Dong will make his first court appearance after his release from the hospital.
The crash occurred around 2:35 a.m. Friday, May 29, on southbound I-95 at mile marker 146. Traffic had slowed and was diverted into the single open left lane due to a work zone closing the right and center lanes. The E&P Travel motor coach, carrying approximately 34 passengers from New York City to Charlotte, N.C., failed to slow for the traffic queue.
The impact struck a Chevrolet Suburban, which was pushed into an Acura SUV, triggering collisions involving multiple other vehicles. Four members of a Greenfield, Massachusetts, family died in the Acura, which caught fire. They were a 45-year-old male, a 44-year-old female, a 13-year-old female, and a 7-year-old male. The fifth victim was Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was in the Chevrolet Suburban.
Approximately 44 patients were transported to area hospitals, with three in critical condition. Dong was also injured in the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board has a team on scene conducting a parallel safety investigation. Board Member Tom Chapman expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
Investigator-in-Charge Eric Gregson outlined the NTSB’s focus on driver factors (including fatigue and impairment), highway and work zone design, vehicle performance (such as automatic emergency braking), motor carrier operations, and occupant protection. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.
Virginia State Police continue their criminal investigation.
