A bus driver charged in a crash that killed five people and injured over 40 in Virginia did not speak English, according to investigators. Jing S Dong, 48, a US citizen from China, faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter, with further charges expected.
The crash occurred on Interstate 95 in Stafford County around 2:35am on Friday when Dong's motor coach bus failed to slow down in a work zone, hitting a Chevrolet Suburban, which then struck an Acura carrying a family of four from Massachusetts. The family, Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their children Emily and Mark, were en route to a wedding in South Carolina. Priscilla Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was in the Suburban, also died.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating speed, fatigue, and language proficiency as factors. Officials noted little braking before the crash due to its speed and severity. Dong, of Staten Island, New York, was driving a bus for E&P Travel from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Doncev family emigrated from Moldova in 2008 and settled in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Dmitri was a nurse, and Ecaterina a hairstylist who had spent days making desserts for the wedding. A GoFundMe campaign for funeral expenses had raised over $50,000 by Sunday.
Dong remains in hospital under arrest, with a court appearance scheduled after his discharge. A magistrate approved his detention without bond.
