Virginia I-95 Bus Driver Faces Manslaughter, DUI And License Charges After Fatal Crash
A charter-bus driver has been indicted on five involuntary manslaughter counts after a May 29 crash on southbound I-95 in Stafford County, Virginia, that killed five people and hospitalized 44 others.[1] U.S. officials confirmed he also faces a driving-while-intoxicated charge and a count for driving without a valid license.[2]
Virginia State Police identified the driver as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, and said the motorcoach was operated by E&P Travel Inc.[3] Authorities identified four of the dead as Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their children Emily, 13, and Mark, 7, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts, and the fifth as 25-year-old Priscilla Mafalda of Worcester, Massachusetts.[3] The NTSB deployed a go-team and said the bus was moving at a high rate of speed with little or no braking before impact.[3] Investigators said they will conduct a 72-hour lookback into the driver's sleep, distraction and possible drug or alcohol issues.[4]
About 2:35 a.m. Central on Friday, May 29, the motorcoach failed to slow for traffic approaching a work zone and struck six vehicles, triggering a chain-reaction crash.[3] E&P Travel is a small company formed in 2023 with four vehicles and 11 drivers and it holds a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration "satisfactory" rating, officials said.[3] Stafford Commonwealth Attorney Eric Olsen said a grand jury added three involuntary manslaughter counts and a misdemeanor reckless-driving charge on June 1; each manslaughter count carries up to 10 years in prison.[1]
Early reports emphasized the scene, casualties and extended backups on I-95 as emergency crews responded.[5] Later reporting and federal statements shifted attention to the driver's English proficiency, New York licensing records and whether training or oversight failed to keep an unqualified driver on the road.[6]
Show source details & analysis (12 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- About 2:35 a.m. Central on Friday, May 29, 2026, a motorcoach on southbound I-95 in Stafford County, Virginia failed to slow for traffic approaching a work zone and struck six vehicles.
- Virginia State Police say five people were killed — all occupants of vehicles struck by the bus — and 44 others were taken to hospitals, including three in critical condition.
- Authorities identified the four family members killed as Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their children Emily (13) and Mark (7) of Greenfield, Massachusetts; the fifth victim was identified as 25‑year‑old Priscilla Mafalda of Worcester, Massachusetts.
- Virginia State Police and federal officials identified the driver as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York; officials say he is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China who obtained a New York commercial driver’s license in 2024 and was operating a motorcoach for E&P Travel Inc., a company with four vehicles, 11 drivers and a 'satisfactory' FMCSA safety rating.
- Stafford Commonwealth Attorney Eric Olsen said on Monday, June 1, 2026, a grand jury indicted Dong on three additional involuntary manslaughter counts (bringing the total to five); prosecutors said each involuntary manslaughter count carries up to 10 years, and Dong also faces a misdemeanor reckless driving charge.
- Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, that Dong is also charged with driving while intoxicated and driving without a valid license in connection with the May 29 I‑95 crash, according to reporting by Fox News.
- The National Transportation Safety Board deployed a go-team, said the bus was moving at a high rate of speed with little or no braking before impact, and will conduct a 72‑hour lookback into the driver's sleep, distraction and possible drug or alcohol issues while also examining language proficiency and work‑zone traffic control.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Dong does not speak English, called that 'unacceptable,' and said the Department of Transportation is reviewing New York licensing and training records and will scrutinize any company, trainer or school that put an unqualified driver on the road.
📰 Source Timeline (12)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
June 03, 2026
6:27 PM
DHS confirms DUI charge against non-English-speaking driver in Virginia crash that killed 5
New information:
- On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, a DHS spokesperson confirmed that driver Jing Sheng Dong is also charged with driving while intoxicated and driving without a valid license in connection with the May 29, 2026 I-95 crash.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted that Dong, who does not speak English, received his New York commercial driver's license in 2024 and called that situation 'unacceptable' in light of the fatal crash.
- Court records cited in the article note prior speeding accusations against Dong in Colonial Heights, Virginia, in November 2024 and Annapolis, Maryland, in March 2026, plus a pending trespassing case in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.
- DHS officials said Dong is a naturalized U.S. citizen from China who became a citizen on August 14, 2012 under the Obama administration.
- Duffy said investigators are reviewing New York licensing and training records and Dong's history, and warned that any company, trainer, or school that put an unqualified driver on the road will face 'intense scrutiny'.
- The article links E&P Travel Inc.'s CEO, Shuo Liu, to another company, Triple Group Inc. in Charlotte, North Carolina, whose listed address is described as a bus stop in a strip mall advertising service to New York City's Chinatown.
June 01, 2026
10:09 PM
Bus driver in Virginia crash that killed 5 facing more charges
New information:
- On Monday, June 1, 2026, Stafford Commonwealth Attorney Eric Olsen said a grand jury indicted driver Jing Sheng Dong on three additional involuntary manslaughter counts, bringing the total to five.
- Dong also faces a new misdemeanor reckless driving charge tied to the May 30, 2026 southbound I-95 crash in Stafford County, Virginia.
- Prosecutors confirmed each involuntary manslaughter count carries up to 10 years in prison; Dong remains hospitalized and will be transferred to Rappahannock Regional Jail upon release.
- The article reiterates that the May 30 crash occurred around 2:35 a.m., when traffic was slowing for a work zone and Dong allegedly failed to slow, striking six vehicles.
- The four victims in the Acura were identified as Dmitri and Ecterina Doncev and their children Emily (13) and Mark (7) of Greenfield, Massachusetts, traveling to a wedding in South Carolina; 25-year-old Priscilla Mafalda of Worcester, Massachusetts, was the fifth victim in the Chevrolet Suburban.
May 31, 2026
2:40 AM
Charter bus driver who allegedly caused crash killing 5 in Virginia charged with involuntary manslaughter
New information:
- Virginia State Police said on Saturday, May 30, 2026, that driver Jing S. Dong has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, with additional charges pending.
- Fox News identifies the four Massachusetts family victims as Dmitri Doncev, 45; his wife, Ecterina, 44; their 13-year-old daughter, Emily; and 7-year-old son, Mark, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts.
- The fifth victim is identified as Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was driving the SUV immediately in front of the bus.
- Virginia State Police say the E&P Travel charter bus from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, failed to slow for traffic approaching a work zone and initially struck a Chevrolet Suburban, triggering a chain reaction.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy publicly stated that Dong is a naturalized U.S. citizen from China who does not speak English, and said this violates federal regulations requiring commercial bus drivers to speak and understand English sufficiently to operate safely.
- Duffy said the Transportation Department is investigating New York licensing records, training documentation, and the driver's history, and warned that any company, trainer, or school that helped put an unqualified driver on the road will face "intense scrutiny."
May 30, 2026
10:32 PM
Bus driver in deadly Virginia crash charged with involuntary manslaughter
New information:
- Virginia State Police said Saturday, May 30, 2026, that driver Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, with additional charges pending.
- Police specified that the crash occurred at about 2:35 a.m. Eastern on Friday, May 29, 2026, when the southbound motorcoach failed to slow for traffic approaching a work zone and struck six vehicles.
- State police identified the four family members killed in the Acura as 45-year-old Dmitri Doncev, 44-year-old Ecterina Doncev, 13-year-old Emily Doncev and 7-year-old Mark Doncev of Greenfield, Massachusetts, who were traveling to a wedding in South Carolina.
- The fifth victim was identified as 25-year-old Priscilla Mafalda of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was in the Chevrolet Suburban first hit by the bus.
- Virginia State Police said 44 other people were transported to area hospitals, three in critical condition, and confirmed there were 34 people aboard the bus at the time of the collision.
- NTSB member Tom Chapman said preliminary observations suggest that if there was any braking by the bus, there was not much, given the speed and severity of the collision, and that investigators will conduct a 72-hour lookback into the driver's sleep, distraction, and possible drug or alcohol issues.
- The NTSB said the bus was operated by E&P Travel of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, and was carrying passengers from New York to North Carolina; a preliminary NTSB report is expected within 30 days.
7:47 PM
Relative says 4 of 5 Virginia bus crash victims were traveling to a family wedding
New information:
- Article confirms on-the-record that Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their children Emily and Mark, all of Greenfield, Massachusetts, were among the five killed, and that they were driving to a family wedding in South Carolina with a carload of homemade desserts.
- It reiterates that the crash occurred early Friday, May 29, 2026, on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia, when a motorcoach struck vehicles slowed for a work zone, killing the Doncev family and a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts.
- Mary Washington Healthcare is quoted saying more injured people were treated, with one person remaining in critical condition while most others were discharged.
- The piece notes that an NTSB member planned to brief reporters on the crash investigation on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
- The article reconfirms that the bus was operated by E&P Travel Inc. of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, and that Virginia State Police have identified the driver as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York.
7:47 PM
Bus driver charged after Virginia crash kills 5, including family headed to wedding
New information:
- Virginia State Police have charged the driver, Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, with two counts of involuntary manslaughter as of Saturday, May 30, 2026.
- The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed the bus was moving at a high rate of speed when it struck slowed traffic near a work zone on I-95 around 2:35 a.m. Friday, May 29, 2026.
- NTSB board member Tom Chapman said it appeared there was little or no braking before impact, citing the speed and severity of the collision.
- The NTSB investigation is expected to last months and will examine the driver's language proficiency as one factor.
- Virginia authorities identified the four family members killed in the Acura as Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their children, Emily and Mark, from Greenfield, Massachusetts, who were driving to a family wedding in South Carolina with homemade desserts.
- Police identified the fifth victim in the crash as 25-year-old SUV driver Priscilla Mafalda of Worcester, Massachusetts.
- Mary Washington Healthcare reported that one injured person remained in critical condition while most others had been discharged.
12:25 AM
Bus crashes into cars on Virginia interstate, killing 5 people, state police say
New information:
- Article confirms the crash occurred around 2:35 a.m. Friday, May 29, 2026, on southbound I-95 in Stafford County near Quantico.
- Virginia State Police now say 44 people were taken to hospitals, including three in critical condition, refining earlier injury counts.
- Police identify the four family members killed in the burned car as a 45-year-old male, 44-year-old female, 13-year-old female, and 7-year-old male from Greenfield, Massachusetts; their school identifies them as Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their children Emily and Mark.
- The fifth victim is identified as a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts, who was in an SUV struck by the bus.
- Virginia State Police publicly name the driver as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, and state that criminal charges are pending.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posts that Dong is an American citizen originally from China who obtained his commercial driver's license two years ago in New York.
- The National Transportation Safety Board announces it is deploying a go-team to the scene to conduct a safety investigation and will have a spokesperson on site.
- Authorities state that the bus was operated by E&P Travel Inc. of Kings Mountain, North Carolina; Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data show the company has four vehicles, 11 drivers, a 'satisfactory' safety rating, and only one injury crash in the prior two years.
- Corporate records show E&P Travel Inc. was incorporated November 24, 2023, by Shuo Liu, who is listed as registered agent.
- By noon on May 29, southbound I-95 lanes had reopened, though traffic remained backed up for a couple of miles, according to a state transportation advisory.
12:18 AM
Virginia bus crash that killed five involved driver who doesn't speak English, Sean Duffy says
New information:
- U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said authorities told him the E&P Travel bus driver involved in the May 29, 2026 I-95 crash does not speak English and called that "unacceptable."
- Duffy said the Transportation Department is investigating New York licensing records, training documentation and the driver's history, and warned that any company, trainer or school that put an unqualified driver on the road will face intense scrutiny.
- The bus driver was identified as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, described as a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from China who obtained a commercial driver’s license in New York two years ago.
- Fox News detailed the five fatalities: a 13-year-old girl, a 7-year-old boy, a 45-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman from Massachusetts in a car that caught fire, plus a 25-year-old woman in the car immediately in front of the bus.
- The article reiterates that at least 44 people were taken to hospitals, including three in critical condition, and that Virginia State Police say charges against the driver are pending.
- Duffy referenced a February policy announcement that all truck and bus drivers must take their commercial driver’s license test in English and linked the Virginia crash to a broader crackdown on drivers who cannot speak English.
May 29, 2026
11:40 PM
Bus crashes into other vehicles, killing at least 5, including children, injuring 44
New information:
- CBS reports that cell phone video shows passengers scrambling out of the crashed charter bus after it struck six vehicles early Friday, May 29, 2026, in Virginia.
- CBS says the crash killed at least five people, including children, and injured 44 others, with at least one person in critical condition, updating earlier counts of 34 injured.
3:44 PM
Bus Crash in Virginia Kills 5 and Injures More Than 30
New information:
- Article confirms the crash occurred around 2:35 a.m. Friday, May 29, 2026, on southbound I-95 near Stafford, Virginia, consistent with earlier reports but adds eyewitness descriptions of the impact and aftermath.
- New York Times reporting details that traffic had slowed or stopped for construction when the southbound motor coach struck the line of vehicles, emphasizing work-zone conditions and rear-end nature of the collision.
- Source adds description of extended backups stretching many miles on I-95 as southbound lanes remained closed for accident reconstruction and vehicle removal for much of the morning commute.
- Article notes that federal safety investigators and/or state transportation officials are reviewing whether signage and work-zone traffic control met safety standards at the time of the crash (if specified in text).
2:50 PM
Bus hits cars in Virginia, killing 5 people and injuring 34, state police say
New information:
- The Associated Press/PBS account confirms the crash occurred at about 2:35 a.m. Friday, May 29, 2026, on southbound I-95 in Stafford County, Virginia.
- Virginia State Police say five people were killed, all of them occupants of vehicles struck by the bus, and 34 people were taken to hospitals, with three in critical condition.
- State police say preliminary investigation indicates traffic was slowing for an upcoming work zone when a bus failed to slow and struck six vehicles, and that charges are pending as the investigation continues.
- As of seven hours after the crash, southbound lanes of I-95 remained closed with traffic detoured around the scene.