A deadly bus crash in Virginia that killed five people and injured dozens more has triggered federal scrutiny after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the driver involved did not speak English.
The crash happened around 2:35 a.m. Friday on Interstate 95 in Stafford County.
Virginia State Police said an E&P Travel bus traveling from New York to North Carolina failed to slow down near a work zone and struck multiple vehicles.
Five people were killed in the crash, including two children.
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Authorities said a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy died along with a 45-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman after their vehicle caught fire.
All four were from Massachusetts.
A 25-year-old woman in another vehicle directly ahead of the bus was also killed.
At least 44 people were taken to hospitals, including three in critical condition.
The bus driver was identified as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York.
Police said Dong was injured in the crash and that charges are pending.
Duffy said the driver does not speak English and called the situation unacceptable.
Federal law requires commercial drivers to speak English well enough to safely perform their duties, including reading road signs, communicating with law enforcement and understanding traffic instructions.
Duffy said the Department of Transportation is now reviewing New York licensing records, training documentation and the driver’s history.
He warned that any company, trainer or school involved in putting an unqualified driver on the road would face intense scrutiny.
The crash is likely to renew debate over commercial driver licensing standards, language requirements and how states verify qualifications before issuing commercial licenses.
Investigators are still reviewing the circumstances that led to the crash, including whether driver training, licensing or communication barriers played a role.
For the families of the victims, the investigation now moves beyond the crash itself and into how the driver was approved to operate a commercial passenger bus.
Why It Matters
The crash raises serious questions about commercial driver licensing and enforcement of federal safety rules. If investigators find that language requirements or training standards were ignored, the case could lead to tighter oversight of bus companies, licensing schools and state CDL procedures.
What Comes Next
Virginia State Police are continuing their investigation, and charges against the driver are pending. The Transportation Department is also reviewing licensing and training records to determine whether any company, school or agency failed to follow federal safety standards.
🚨 JUST NOW: Trump Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy CONFIRMS that a bus crash in Virginia resulting in 5 deaths, including little children, was caused by a CHINESE NATIONAL WHO DOESN’T SPEAK ENGLISH
And NEW YORK gave him the CDL
Absolutely maddening. BAN NY FROM GIVING CDLS!… pic.twitter.com/L9K22Et5WV
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 29, 2026
