Charter bus driver who allegedly caused crash killing 5 in Virginia charged with involuntary manslaughter

On Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia, a charter bus crash early Friday resulted in five fatalities. The crash occurred at about 2:35 a.m. when the bus, operated by E&P Travel and traveling from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, did not slow as traffic was slowing for a work zone.

The bus hit a Chevrolet Suburban, which then collided with an Acura SUV and other vehicles. The Suburban caught fire, and the bus also struck additional vehicles.

The driver, Jing S. Dong, a naturalized citizen from China, was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Additional charges are pending. Dong, who lives in Staten Island, New York, obtained his commercial driver’s license in 2024 and does not speak English, violating federal regulations for bus drivers.

The deceased were identified as Dmitri Doncev, 45, his wife Ecterina, 44, and their children Emily, 13, and Mark, 7, of Greenfield, Massachusetts, and Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts. The family died when their vehicle caught fire; Mafalda was driving the SUV that was directly in front of the bus.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the incident unacceptable, stressing the need for bus drivers to be proficient in English. He announced that the Department of Transportation is investigating New York’s licensing records, training documentation, and the driver’s history, and warned that any company, trainer, or school involved in putting an unqualified driver on the road will face intense scrutiny.

The Virginia State Police continue to investigate the crash.