Authorities have released new details following a deadly multi-vehicle crash involving a charter bus early Friday morning on Interstate 95 southbound.
According to Virginia State Police, the crash occurred at approximately 2:35 a.m. near the 146-mile marker as southbound traffic was slowing ahead of an upcoming work zone. Investigators say a charter bus operated by E&P Travel, traveling from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, failed to slow for traffic and struck a Chevrolet Suburban, triggering a chain-reaction collision involving multiple vehicles.
Officials said the force of the initial impact pushed the Suburban into an Acura SUV, with additional vehicles becoming involved as the crash unfolded. The bus then struck several more vehicles before coming to a stop.
The bus was reportedly carrying about 34 passengers at the time of the crash.
Authorities confirmed that five people were killed, including two children. Four of the victims were occupants of the Acura SUV—a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl, and a 7-year-old boy from Greenfield, Massachusetts. Officials said the Acura caught fire following the collision. The fifth victim was a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts, who was traveling in the Chevrolet Suburban.
Approximately 44 individuals were transported to area hospitals for treatment, including three people who suffered critical injuries.
The bus driver, identified as 48-year-old Jing S. Dong of Staten Island, New York, was also injured in the crash. Virginia State Police confirmed that charges are pending as investigators continue to review the circumstances leading up to the collision.
Federal officials have joined the investigation. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that preliminary information suggests the driver did not speak English and obtained a commercial driver’s license in New York in 2024. Federal investigators are now reviewing licensing records, training procedures, and the driver’s background.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger offered condolences to the victims’ families and thanked first responders, law enforcement, and medical teams for their response to the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials say additional updates will be released as more information becomes available.
