STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — Federal investigators said Saturday that the bus driver's speed, potential fatigue and possible language barriers are among the key factors being examined in the deadly I-95 crash in Stafford County that killed five people and injured dozens more.
The National Transportation Safety Board held its first briefing Saturday afternoon, one day after the crash, with board member Tom Chapman and investigator in charge Eric Gregson outlining the scope of the investigation.
"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 confirmed that at 2:35 a.m. Friday, a motor coach operated by E&P Travel of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, was carrying passengers from New York to North Carolina when it approached a work zone near mile marker 146 on Interstate 95. At the time, the right and center lanes of I-95 south were closed due to the work zone, leaving only the left lane open. A traffic queue had formed as vehicles merged into that lane.
"The motor coach failed to respond to the slow and stop traffic ahead," Chapman said. "The motor coach struck the rear of the traffic queue, causing a chain-reaction crash involving multiple other vehicles."
Five people in the traffic queue were killed. The bus driver, 48-year-old Jing Dong of Staten Island, was among those injured. Charges are pending against Dong, who underwent surgery before being taken into custody.
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Chapman said investigators are focused on several key areas, including the speed of the bus at the time of impact.
"It appears clearly a high rate of speed, but the precise speed we've not been able to determine that yet," Chapman said.
When asked whether the driver applied the brakes before the crash, Chapman said the evidence suggests little if any braking occurred.
"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.
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Investigators said they are conducting a 72-hour look back at the driver's activities in the days leading up to the crash, examining potential fatigue, sleep issues, distraction and possible drug and alcohol use.
"I'm not saying that any of that is involved here, but those are the sorts of things we want to look at," Chapman said.
Chapman also confirmed investigators are assessing the driver's language proficiency following assertions by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that it may have been a contributing factor.
"We are still assessing the driver's language proficiency, and we don't have enough information at this point to have drawn any conclusions there," Chapman said.
Investigators are also examining whether the bus was equipped with automatic emergency braking technology, known as AEB, and whether the work zone design and signage were adequate.
Gregson outlined the six specialized investigative groups working the case, covering survival factors, human performance, highway factors, vehicle factors, motor carrier operations and technical reconstruction. The team is expected to remain on scene for 5 to 7 days.
The NTSB said it is also seeking any video footage from witnesses or vehicles involved in the crash. Those with information or video can contact the agency by email at witness@ntsb.gov.
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A preliminary report is expected within 30 days. A final report will take between 12 and 24 months to complete. The NTSB said it does not plan to hold additional live press briefings but may post updates to its website as warranted.
The NTSB's investigation runs parallel to the law enforcement investigation being conducted by Virginia State Police. The agency is also working with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Virginia Department of Transportation.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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