A motor coach operator is facing multiple manslaughter charges after a devastating multi-vehicle collision on a Virginia interstate that claimed five lives in a fiery chain-reaction accident.
Jing Sheng Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, was initially hit with two felony involuntary manslaughter charges on Saturday following the Friday morning crash. A Stafford County Circuit Court grand jury has now expanded the charges, adding three more manslaughter counts and one misdemeanor reckless driving charge on Monday.
The tour bus operator is being held without bail while receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained in the accident, which took place in the early morning on Interstate 95 approximately 45 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.
Investigators determined that Dong did not reduce speed when encountering slower traffic near a construction work area, causing his bus to crash into the rear of a Chevrolet Suburban. The impact pushed the Suburban into an Acura SUV and additional vehicles in the area.
The Acura burst into flames, and four victims, including two minors, died in that vehicle, state police reported. The fifth fatality occurred in the Suburban that received the initial impact from the bus.
State police confirmed that all five deceased victims were Massachusetts residents. The collision left more than 40 additional people with injuries, according to officials.
