Duffy confirms five were killed in Virginia bus crash overnight, including teenager and child

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday night that five people were killed in a bus crash in Virginia overnight, including a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy. 

The crash occurred when a bus, operated by E&P Travel, allegedly slammed into stopped traffic on the I-95 in Stafford County. The bus was transporting passengers from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Dozens of people were also injured in the crash, which saw the bus collide with six vehicles, according to Virginia state police. The bus first struck a Chevrolet Suburban, which then hit an Acura SUV and additional vehicles. 

A total of 44 people were taken to hospitals with injuries, including the driver, whom Duffy claimed was a naturalized American citizen from China who did not speak English.

Duffy said the driver received his commercial driver's license from New York state in 2024.

"This is exactly why we are holding states’ accountable, enforcing the rules of the road, and cracking down on drivers who can’t speak English," Duffy said in a post on X. "If you can’t be properly trained, read our road signs, or communicate with law enforcement, you have no business driving a bus."

The secretary said his team is reviewing New York's licensing records, training documentation, and the driver's history.

"Any company, trainer, or school that contributed to putting an unqualified driver on the road will face intense scrutiny," Duffy said. "My prayers are with the loved ones of the innocent lives lost and those who were hurt in this horrific crime."

The identities of the victims have not been released so far, but the other three people killed in the crash were a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman and a 25-year-old woman. All were from Massachusetts, according to CBS News. 

The Virginia State Police said that "Charges are pending against" the driver and that investigators are "looking into the bus driver's actions prior to the crash."

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.