Sean Duffy says driver in Virginia bus crash that killed 5 did not meet federal language rules

STAFFORD COUNTY, VIRGINIA: A deadly bus crash on Interstate 95 that left five people dead and dozens injured has quickly become more than a transportation tragedy after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy publicly claimed the driver involved did not meet federal English-language requirements for commercial drivers.

The crash occurred around 2:35 AM  Friday when an E&P Travel bus traveling from New York to North Carolina failed to slow down near a work zone and slammed into multiple vehicles, according to Virginia State Police.

Five people were killed and at least 44 others were hospitalized.

Sean Duffy says driver failed federal English-language requirements

Authorities identified the bus driver as Jing S. Dong, a 48-year-old Staten Island resident who was injured in the crash. Police said charges are pending as the investigation continues.

According to Duffy, Dong did not speak English despite federal regulations requiring commercial drivers to demonstrate sufficient English proficiency to safely operate buses and trucks.

"Unacceptable. 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 wrote 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," he added.

Duffy also announced that federal officials are examining licensing and training records connected to the driver.

"The Transportation Department is investigating New York licensing records, training documentation, and the driver's history," Duffy said.

"Any company, trainer, or school that contributed to putting an unqualified driver on the road will face intense scrutiny." 

Federal law requires commercial drivers to possess enough English-language ability to read road signs, communicate with officials and safely perform their duties.

Earlier this year, Duffy announced that truck and bus drivers would be required to complete licensing examinations in English.

Five people killed and dozens injured in Interstate 95 collision

Virginia State Police said the bus failed to slow as it approached a work zone before crashing into several vehicles on Interstate 95.

Among those killed were a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy who were traveling in a vehicle ahead of the bus.

A 45-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman in the same vehicle also died after their car caught fire following the collision.

All four victims were from Massachusetts.

A 25-year-old woman traveling in the vehicle immediately in front of the bus was also killed.

Police said at least 44 people were transported to hospitals after the crash, including three individuals listed in critical condition.

Crash sparks wider debate over driver qualifications and enforcement

As investigators continue looking into what caused the crash, the conversation has already expanded beyond the collision itself.

Duffy has focused heavily on the fact that the driver allegedly did not meet federal English-language requirements, turning attention toward whether existing commercial driving rules were properly enforced before he got behind the wheel.

At the same time, investigators have not said whether the driver's ability to speak English played any role in the crash.

The official investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not yet determined fault or identified all contributing factors.

Virgina bus crash reignites debate about immigration enforcement

The case has also drawn comparisons to other high-profile crashes involving immigrant commercial drivers, including the Rogel Aguilera-Mederos truck crash, where public debate quickly grew beyond the accident itself and shifted toward larger discussions about safety, accountability and enforcement.

The 2019 Colorado truck crash involving Rogel Aguilera-Mederos continues to fuel heated national debate years after the deadly collision first shocked the country, with arguments over immigration and criminal accountability still sharply dividing Americans.

Aguilera-Mederos became the center of national attention after the devastating Interstate 70 crash near Lakewood, Colorado, killed four people and injured several others when his semi-truck slammed into stopped traffic after descending a steep mountain highway.

The Cuban-born truck driver was later convicted on multiple charges, including vehicular homicide, and initially sentenced to 110 years in prison under Colorado’s mandatory sentencing laws. The sentence immediately sparked fierce national backlash and turned the case into a broader political and cultural flashpoint.

The case soon became intertwined with wider political arguments over immigration enforcement and commercial transportation oversight. Conservative commentators and anti-immigration activists repeatedly highlighted Aguilera-Mederos’ immigrant background while questioning whether trucking companies were adequately screening and training drivers entering the industry.