A bus crash in Virginia resulted in the deaths of five individuals and injuries to dozens more. The crash occurred around 2:35 a.m. on Friday when the driver of an E&P Travel bus, traveling from New York to North Carolina, failed to slow down near a work zone and collided with several vehicles on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, according to the Virginia State Police.
Among the deceased were a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy from Massachusetts, as well as a 45-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman, who died when their vehicle caught fire. A 25-year-old woman in the car in front of the bus was also killed. At least 44 others were transported to hospitals, with three reported in critical condition.
The bus driver, identified as Jing S. Dong, 48, from Staten Island, New York, sustained injuries in the incident. Charges against him are pending. Dong, a naturalized citizen originally from China, obtained his commercial driver’s license in New York two years ago.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that the driver’s inability to speak English is "unacceptable" and emphasized the need for accountability in driver training and licensing. Duffy noted that the Transportation Department is investigating the driver's licensing records and training documentation, and that any associated companies or trainers will be scrutinized. Federal law mandates that commercial drivers must be proficient in English to perform their duties safely.
