Bus driver in deadly Virginia crash pleads guilty to speeding in Anne Arundel in March

A bus driver who was involved in a deadly crash in Virginia pleaded guilty Tuesday to a previous speeding citation in Anne Arundel County, court officials said.

On March 9, 48-year-old Jing Sheng Dong was cited for driving “72 miles per hour in a posted 50 miles per hour zone” in Anne Arundel County, according to court officials.

Online court records show Dong was stopped on Maryland 3, near Charles Hall Road, and that he faced a $160 fine.

Dong’s defense attorney submitted the plea on his behalf on Tuesday, court officials said. Following his guilty plea, Dong’s sentencing hearing was postponed until June 8.

Authorities have identified Dong as the driver of the bus involved in a deadly crash on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia, on Friday.

Five people died, and 44 others were injured after the bus, driven by Dong, “failed to slow for traffic" on I-95, according to Virginia State Police. The bus crashed into six other vehicles, killing four people in one car and one person in another car.

Dong, of Staten Island, New York, was also injured in the crash and remained hospitalized as of Monday.

He was charged with involuntary manslaughter, and additional charges are pending, according to police. He will be moved to the Rappahannock Regional Jail once he is released from the hospital.

A crash survivor described the aftermath.

“People bleeding, people screaming, the bus smoking, a stranger came and busted the window open and let us all out,” the crash survivor said.

A preliminary investigation into the bus crash found that traffic on I-95 southbound began to slow around 2:35 a.m. as cars approached a work zone. However, the bus failed to slow down, officials said.

The bus, operated by E&P Travel, was taking passengers from New York to North Carolina. The company is based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.

“We’ve seen some really egregious companies who have had catastrophic crashes and still maintain a satisfactory rating,” said Rob Carpenter, a motor coach industry expert.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating and is expected to share a preliminary report within 30 days.

Investigators are also reviewing Dong’s actions before the crash.

“We do a 72-hour look back to see what the driver’s activities were during the days leading up to the crash,” said Tom Chapman with the NTSB. “So we’re looking for, you know, sleep issues, distraction issues, potential drug and alcohol issues.”

Chapman added, “It seems fairly clear that if there was any braking, there wasn’t much, because of the speed and the severity of the collision.”

According to a federal official, Dong refused to take an English proficiency test on Monday.

Banner staff contributed to this report.

WJZ is a media partner of The Banner.