STAFFORD COUNTY, VA – At least five people, including two young children, were killed and 44 others injured early Friday morning when a commercial bus plowed into slowing traffic near an Interstate 95 work zone.
Tragic Family Among The Victims
The catastrophic accident occurred around 2:35 a.m. ET in the southbound lanes of I-95. According to the Virginia State Police, a bus operated by E&P Travel was en route from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, when it failed to slow down for construction traffic.
The bus slammed into a Chevrolet Suburban before chain-reacting into five other vehicles.
An Acura SUV caught fire upon impact, killing all four occupants inside. Authorities identified them as a family from Greenfield, Massachusetts, who were traveling to a wedding:
- Dmitri Doncev, 45
- Ecterina Doncev, 44
- Emily Doncev, 13
- Mark Doncev, 7
A 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts, riding in the Suburban, was also killed. Her identity has not yet been released.
Mass Casualty Response
Emergency crews rushed 44 injured individuals to area hospitals.
- Mary Washington Hospital: Treated seven adults, with multiple patients undergoing surgery for life-threatening injuries. One remains in critical condition.
- Stafford Hospital: Received 12 patients, all of whom have been treated and released.
Federal transit officials on the scene described the aftermath as “one of the most tragic things” they have ever witnessed.
Bus Driver Faces Pending Charges
State police identified the bus driver as 48-year-old Jing S. Dong of Staten Island, New York. Dong sustained injuries in the crash, and officials confirmed that criminal charges are currently pending against him.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a federal safety investigation into the carrier and the driver’s actions prior to the collision.
