Bus driver charged in deadly Virginia I-95 bus crash that killed Massachusetts family

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — The 48-year-old driver of a charter bus that killed five people in a crash on Interstate 95 in Stafford County is being held without bond after being charged with two felony counts of involuntary manslaughter, prosecutors announced late Saturday.

Jing Sheng Dong, of Staten Island, New York, was arrested Saturday by Virginia State Police and served with the felony warrants while still hospitalized from injuries he sustained in the crash. A magistrate determined he will be held without bond pending his first court appearance, which will be scheduled after his release from the hospital, officials said.

Stafford Commonwealth's Attorney Eric Olsen said the evidence gathered since the crash established probable cause that Dong caused the collision and was driving in a criminally negligent manner at the time.

"I have determined that probable cause presently exists to establish that the driver of the tour bus caused this crash and, at the time of the crash, he was driving in a criminally negligent manner," Olsen said.

Each count of involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

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Olsen said evidence shows the bus was traveling southbound at a high rate of speed when it struck one or more vehicles moving slowly through a work zone, triggering a chain reaction crash involving at least 8 vehicles.

The crash happened around 2:35 a.m. Friday near mile marker 146 on Interstate 95 in Stafford County. Virginia State Police said the bus, operated by E&P Travel of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, failed to slow for traffic merging into a single lane due to a work zone. The bus struck a Chevrolet Suburban, which was then forced into an Acura SUV and additional vehicles.

Five people were killed. Four were in the Acura, which caught fire after the collisions: a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts. Relatives have identified the family as 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 State Police as Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was in the Suburban struck by the bus.

RELATED: Family killed in I-95 bus crash was headed to wedding in South Carolina, relatives say

In a statement, the Doncev family described the loss as devastating.

"Today, words cannot adequately express the pain and sorrow felt by their family, friends, church community, coworkers, classmates, and all who had the privilege of knowing them."

"The legacy of kindness, faith, perseverance, and love that they leave behind will continue to inspire all who knew them," the family said.

The bus was carrying approximately 34 passengers at the time of the crash. About 44 people in total were transported to area hospitals, 3 with critical injuries.

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

The charges align with findings from a parallel federal investigation. NTSB board member Tom Chapman said Saturday that the bus appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed and that little, if any, braking occurred before impact.

"It seems fairly clear that if there was any braking, there wasn't much because of the speed and the severity of the collision, but too early yet to know exactly what was happening on board the vehicle," Chapman said.

Federal investigators said they are conducting a 72-hour look back at Dong's activities in the days leading up to the crash, examining potential fatigue, sleep issues, distraction and possible drug and alcohol use. Investigators are also assessing Dong's language proficiency following assertions by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that it may have been a contributing factor. The NTSB said it has not yet drawn any conclusions on that question.

Investigators are also examining whether the bus was equipped with automatic emergency braking technology and whether the work zone design and signage were adequate.

"Our mission is to understand not just what happened but why it happened and to recommend changes to prevent it from happening again," Chapman said.

The NTSB's investigative team is expected to remain on scene for five to seven days. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, with a final report taking between 12 and 24 months to complete. Anyone with video footage from the crash is asked to contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.

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