Bus driver pleads not guilty in deadly Virginia I-95 crash: 'Accidents happen'

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — The bus driver accused of causing a deadly crash on Interstate 95 in Stafford County that killed five people pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Stafford County Circuit Court.

Jing Sheng Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, faces five counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the May 29 crash. Dong appeared in court in a wheelchair. His attorney, Tom Walsh, said Dong was pinned inside the bus during the crash.

Walsh said the central question at trial will be whether the crash rises to the level of criminal conduct.

"Accidents happen and it doesn't mean it rises to a criminal level — that's the issue. That's what's going to be litigated," Walsh said.

Walsh said selecting a fair jury will be critical given the circumstances of the case.

"I need a voir dire to make sure that I get a jury that's fair that will follow the law," Walsh said. "That's it. Because it's hard if you have five deceased people, which my heart goes out to those families, trust me."

WATCH: Bus crash survivors describe chaos on I-95 in Virginia: 'Blood everywhere, people screaming'

Dong is accused of failing to slow his bus as it approached a work zone on I-95 southbound in Stafford County in the early morning hours of May 29. The motorcoach, operated by E&P Travel Inc. of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, slammed into more than half a dozen vehicles, triggering a chain reaction crash. Among those vehicles was a car carrying a family of four — two adults and their two children — all of whom were killed. A fifth person, a woman in another vehicle, was also killed.

Relatives identified four of the victims as members of the Doncev family of Greenfield — Dmitri and Ecterina Doncev and their two children — who were on their way to a wedding in South Carolina. The fifth victim was identified by Virginia State Police as Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester. Approximately 44 people in total were transported to area hospitals.

The bus was operated by E&P Travel Inc. of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, on a scheduled passenger service route from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.

WATCH: NTSB gives update after deadly bus crash on Interstate 95 in Virginia

Dong also faces one misdemeanor count of reckless driving. He has a history of speeding accusations, including a conviction in Colonial Heights, Virginia, in November 2024 for driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone, and a pending charge in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, for allegedly driving a motorcoach 72 mph in a 50 mph zone in March 2026.

The NTSB's investigation into the crash is ongoing. The agency has said it will determine the probable cause of the crash with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar events. A final report is expected to take between 12 and 24 months to complete.

Dong's trial is scheduled for October.