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A Staten Island bus driver with a prior record of speeding violations has been indicted on additional charges of involuntary manslaughter following a deadly multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 95 in Virginia. The crash, which occurred in the early hours of May 29, resulted in five fatalities and left dozens more injured.
Jing Sheng Dong, 48, initially faced two counts of involuntary manslaughter when charged on May 30. However, on June 1, a grand jury in Stafford County added three more involuntary manslaughter charges along with a reckless driving count, according to the Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Virginia State Police reported the crash took place around 2:35 a.m. in southbound lanes near a work zone where traffic was slowing. The bus, operated by E&P Travel Inc. and en route from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, failed to reduce speed and struck a Chevrolet Suburban. This impact pushed the Suburban into an Acura SUV and several other vehicles, causing a chain-reaction crash involving at least eight vehicles.
At the time, the coach bus was carrying approximately 34 passengers. Tragically, five people lost their lives, including a family of four from Massachusetts, and around 44 others were hospitalized, with three in critical condition.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the incident. NTSB board member Tom Chapman noted that the bus struck the rear of the traffic queue at what appeared to be a high speed, suggesting minimal braking before the collision. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.
Jing Sheng Dong, who sustained injuries in the crash, remains in custody at a hospital and is being held without bond. Stafford Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Olsen stated that evidence points to Dong driving in a criminally negligent manner, causing the fatal crash. Dong’s bench warrant was served at the hospital on June 1, and he will be transferred to jail upon release.
Investigators are also examining Dong’s background. He is a U.S. citizen originally from China, reportedly not fluent in English, and obtained his commercial driver’s license in New York earlier this year. Court records reveal prior speeding violations in Virginia and Maryland, including driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone and 72 mph in a 50 mph zone, resulting in fines.
Among the deceased were the Doncev family-Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev, along with their two children, Emily and Mark-from Greenfield, Massachusetts. They were en route to a wedding in South Carolina when the crash occurred.
The fifth victim was identified as 25-year-old Priscilla Mafalda of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was in the Chevrolet Suburban. Mafalda, originally from Brazil, was remembered by her employer as kind and hardworking.
Her husband survived but suffered serious injuries.
The investigation continues as authorities seek to fully understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident.