STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. - Five patients remain hospitalized after a deadly bus crash on Interstate 95 in Stafford County killed five people and injured dozens more, according to the latest update from Mary Washington Healthcare.
What we know:
Mary Washington Healthcare said Saturday morning that it continues to care for patients from the Friday morning bus crash on I-95.
The health system said it received 19 patients across both of its hospitals after the crash. As of Saturday morning, 14 of those patients had been discharged.
Five patients continue to be cared for in the trauma center. One remains in critical condition, two are in serious condition and two are in fair condition.
"Our thoughts and prayers continue for those who have been injured and for the families of those who have lost their lives during this sad incident," Mary Washington Healthcare said in its update.
The crash happened around 2:35 a.m. Friday on I-95 southbound near mile marker 146 in Stafford County, according to Virginia State Police.
Investigators said preliminary findings show southbound traffic was slowing for an upcoming work zone when a bus failed to slow down and struck six vehicles.
Five people were killed in the crash. Virginia State Police said one victim was a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts, who was in the first vehicle struck by the bus.
Four others were killed in the chain reaction crash after their SUV caught fire. They were identified as a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts.
By the numbers:
Virginia State Police said at least 44 people were injured in the crash.
Mary Washington Healthcare said it received 19 patients from the crash across Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg and Stafford Hospital in Stafford.
On Friday morning, seven patients had been taken to the trauma center at Mary Washington Hospital. Twelve patients were taken to Stafford Hospital.
By Friday afternoon, Mary Washington Healthcare said 12 patients had been treated and released from Stafford Hospital. One patient had been treated and released from Mary Washington Hospital, and six adult patients remained hospitalized at Mary Washington Hospital.
By Saturday morning, 14 of the 19 patients had been discharged, and five remained hospitalized.
The driver
Virginia State Police identified the bus driver as 48-year-old Jing Dong of Staten Island, New York. Officials said Dong was also injured in the crash.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday that investigators are reviewing the bus driver’s qualifications and licensing records.
Duffy said Dong does not speak English and said federal law requires English proficiency for commercial vehicle drivers.
"If you can’t be properly trained, read our road signs, or communicate with law enforcement, you have no business driving a bus," Duffy said on X.
Duffy said investigators are reviewing New York licensing records, training documentation and the driver’s history.
The backstory:
FOX 5 previously reported that Dong received a commercial driver’s license in New York in 2024, according to Duffy.
Duffy called that "unacceptable" and said any company, trainer or school that contributed to putting an unqualified driver on the road would face scrutiny.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order last year strengthening English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers. The regulations call for drivers who cannot speak English to be removed from service.
What's next:
The crash remains under investigation.
Officials said charges are pending.
The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the crash in coordination with Virginia State Police.
Mary Washington Healthcare said it continues to provide care to patients even after discharge until alternate travel arrangements can be made.
The Source: This article was written using information from Mary Washington Healthcare, Virginia State Police, the U.S. Department of Transportation and previous FOX 5 reporting.