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Two people dead, multiple injured in Virginia I-95 bus crash

Posted at 7:21 AM, Mar 19, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-20 16:48:15-04

PRINCE GEORGE CO., Va. – At least two people were killed and many others were injured in a charter bus crash along I-95 Tuesday morning, according to CBS 6.

The crash happened in the northbound lanes near exit 45 around 5:20 a.m.

"The bus was headed north on I-95 when it attempted to take the exit ramp. The vehicle ended up running off the left side of the ramp and overturned," Virginia State Police spokesperson Corinne Geller said to CBS 6. "The bus's route began in Florida with a final destination of New York."

The bus driver, 40-year-old Yui Man Chow from Staten Island, New York, was not injured during the crash.

Chow has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, according to state police. He is currently being held on bond at Riverside Regional Jail in Prince George County.

State Police say at this stage of the investigation, speed is considered to be a factor in the crash.

Yui Man Chow

Dozens of passengers were transported to several hospitals in the Richmond area; Chippenham Medical Center (14), Johnston-Willis Hospital (14), VCU Medical Center (12), Southside Regional Medical Center (9), John Randolph Medical Center (3), Swift Creek Emergency Room (1), Tri-Cities Emergency Room (1). The passengers' injuries range from minor to serious, according to state police.

Geller said one person died at the scene and a few hours later one person died at a hospital nearby.

Virginia State Police have confirmed that 57 passengers, including the driver, were on the bus when it crashed.

The two passengers who did not survive the crash have been identified as 37-year-old  Su Feng Xu of China and 81-year-old Janetta Cumberbatch of Jamaica, New York.

The other passengers' injuries ranged from minor to serious.

After leaving from Orlando, Florida, the us stopped in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to switch drivers and was continuing north to its final destination in New York City when the crash happened.

A representative with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) responded to the scene, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was also notified. Prince George County Fire and EMS crews were also on scene.

The Virginia State Police Motor Carrier Safety Team is assisting with the ongoing crash investigation.

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