The bus failed to slow for a work zone on southbound I-95 around 2:35 a.m. today.
Five people are dead and at least 34 others were injured after a bus failed to slow down for slowing traffic and slammed into six vehicles on southbound Interstate 95 near Quantico, Virginia, in the early hours of Friday morning. All five fatalities were in the vehicles struck by the bus, not on the bus itself.
The crash occurred around 2:35 a.m. at mile marker 146 in Stafford County, where traffic had been backed up due to a work zone ahead. Virginia State Police said preliminary findings indicate the bus did not reduce its speed before striking the cars in front of it. Charges are pending as the investigation continues, and the National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a go-team to the scene to conduct a safety investigation into the collision.
Where the injured were taken
A total of 34 people were transported to area hospitals following the crash, with three in critical condition.
Of those, 19 were taken to Mary Washington Healthcare facilities. Seven of that group were admitted to the trauma center at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, with two remaining in critical condition and five treated and discharged. Twelve additional patients were taken to Stafford Hospital and have since been released.
The remaining 15 patients were transported to Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center, where all were found to be in good condition and were treated and discharged, according to HCA Healthcare. The healthcare system said all patients would continue to be supported at hospital facilities with meals and personal care until they could be reunited with their belongings or arrange alternative transportation.
Road closures and ongoing response
Southbound lanes of I-95 were closed for approximately seven hours following the crash while traffic was detoured. Most lanes have since reopened, though a single lane at mile marker 146 remained closed as emergency responders continued working at the scene.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger extended condolences to the families of those killed and expressed hope for a swift recovery for those injured, while also urging drivers to give response teams space as they worked.
Virginia State Police spokesman Matthew Demlein said at the time of initial reports that no additional information was available about who owned the bus or its intended destination. Local affiliates also reported two additional crashes in the vicinity of the original collision site, though Demlein declined to confirm that detail.