Bus driver in fatal Virginia I-95 crash pleads not guilty to manslaughter

STAFFORD, VA. – The driver of a motorcoach that plowed into a construction traffic backup on Interstate 95 in May, killing five people, has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter, according to his newly appointed defense attorney, Tom Walsh. 

Jing Dong entered the plea in Stafford County Circuit Court Wednesday morning.

Walsh spoke after the hearing, maintaining his client’s innocence and emphasizing that the fatal collision was not a criminal act.

He stated that the crash was an accident, not a crime, and while he acknowledged the loss of life was awful, he noted that Dong was driving under the posted speed limit at the time of the impact. Walsh then declined to comment on whether any distractions were present behind the wheel.

Dong is currently being held without bail, but Walsh announced plans to file a motion for bond within the next week and a half, arguing that his client should be released pending trial.

5 people killed

The backstory:

The criminal charges stem from a massive, multi-vehicle wreck that occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. on May 29 along southbound I-95 in Stafford County, roughly 50 miles south of Washington, D.C.

READ MORE: NTSB: Bus continued nearly half a mile after initial crash on I-95 in Virginia

According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Dong was operating a 2013 Van Hool motorcoach for E&P Travel Inc., carrying 24 passengers from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.

As the bus approached a 1.6-mile-long temporary overnight work zone near mile marker 146.6, it failed to slow down for a traffic backup, per the report. The motorcoach then slammed into the rear of a Chevrolet Suburban and an Acura MDX, continuing through the traffic queue for nearly half a mile and triggering a chain reaction that ultimately involved 10 vehicles.

READ MORE: Virginia bus crash: Massachusetts family of 4 among 5 killed

A post-crash fire consumed the Acura MDX, killing all four occupants inside, while one passenger in the Suburban was also killed. Several other victims involved in the chain-reaction collision sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious.

What’s next:

The legal proceedings against Dong are now split between two separate county courts, per his attorney. 

In General District Court, where he faces two other counts, a probable cause hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 28, according to Walsh. Meanwhile, the indicted charges in Circuit Court will have a status hearing on Sept. 8, with a formal trial date now set to begin on Oct. 6.