The bus driver, identified by authorities as Jing S. Dong, has been charged in connection with the crash. The circumstances leading to the crash remain under investigation, but the chain of events began when the motorcoach struck a Chevrolet Suburban that had slowed or stopped for a work zone ahead, according to Virginia State Police. The Suburban then collided with an Acura carrying the Doncev family.
The Doncevs — Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their two children, Emily and Mark — were traveling from Massachusetts to a wedding in South Carolina, a relative said. They had packed a carload of homemade desserts for the celebration, according to the Associated Press.
Priscilla Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was in the Chevrolet SUV and also died in the crash, police said.
“A son, a father — the whole family — everyone that has been dear to us,” Carolina Bublik, a relative, said Saturday of the Doncev loss.
The wedding is still scheduled for Sunday in South Carolina, but Bublik said it will also be a time of mourning. The gathering will honor both the union and the lives lost, she said.
The crash occurred around 2:35 a.m. Friday near a work zone on I-95 in Stafford County, about 30 miles south of Washington, D.C. The highway is a major East Coast corridor. Authorities said at least six vehicles were involved.
The National Transportation Safety Board has deployed a team to investigate the crash. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement that the department is monitoring the investigation.
Charges against Dong may include multiple counts of manslaughter, according to a prior report by Main Street Independent, though the specific charges filed were not immediately detailed by Virginia authorities. He is expected to appear in court in the coming days.
The crash is the latest on I-95, a highway that has seen numerous fatal accidents in work zones. The Virginia Department of Transportation said the work zone was properly marked and lit at the time of the crash.
The family’s community in Massachusetts has begun raising funds for funeral expenses, according to local reports. The Doncev family had moved to the United States from Moldova, relatives said.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Virginia State Police.