MASSACHUSETTS — Five people from Massachusetts were killed early Friday in a multi-vehicle crash involving a bus on Interstate 95 in Virginia, according to Virginia State Police.
The crash happened at about 2:35 a.m. Friday on I-95 southbound near the 146-mile marker in Stafford County, where traffic was slowing for an upcoming work zone, according to police. A bus operated by E&P Travel and traveling from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, failed to slow and struck a Chevrolet Suburban, police said.
The Suburban was pushed into an Acura SUV and other vehicles, and the bus struck additional vehicles as well, according to the preliminary investigation.
A 25-year-old woman from Worcester who was riding in the Suburban was killed, police said. Her name was not released in the initial update.
Four other people were killed in the Acura, which caught fire after the collisions, according to police. They were identified only 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.
The bus was carrying about 34 people at the time of the crash, police said. About 44 patients were taken to area hospitals, including three with critical injuries.
The bus driver, Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, was injured in the crash. Charges are pending, according to police.
Virginia State Police said the crash remains under investigation, including the bus driver’s actions before the collision.
See Also:
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Across Massachusetts Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.