A devastating multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 95 in Northern Virginia has claimed five lives and left more than 40 people injured, with three victims in critical condition, according to state police.
The tragic accident unfolded early Friday morning when a tour bus crashed into a sport utility vehicle, setting off a deadly chain reaction that ended with one vehicle bursting into flames.
Initial findings from the investigation indicate the bus operator did not slow down while approaching backed-up traffic in a work zone along the busy Interstate 95 corridor, which serves as a major transportation route running north and south through the region.
The impact sent the bus careening into a Chevrolet Suburban, which then collided with an Acura SUV and other vehicles. The bus continued forward, striking additional cars, while the Acura became engulfed in flames, state police reported in their official statement.
The collision happened around 2:35 a.m. in the highway’s southbound direction within Stafford County, located approximately 45 miles southwest of the nation’s capital.
The motor coach, run by E&P Travel, a charter bus company based in North Carolina, was transporting roughly 34 passengers and the driver from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Among those who lost their lives, four victims were trapped in the burning Acura vehicle: a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl, and a 7-year-old boy, all residents of Greenfield, Massachusetts. The fifth fatality was a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts, who was traveling in the Chevrolet Suburban that was struck by the bus.
Emergency responders transported approximately 44 additional crash victims, including the bus operator, to nearby medical facilities for treatment. Three patients remain in critical condition at area hospitals.
State police spokesperson Matthew Demlein confirmed that criminal charges are being considered against the bus driver related to the incident, though he would not provide additional specifics about the potential charges.
