A journey meant to be filled with joy and anticipation ended in heartbreak when a devastating multi-vehicle crash occurred on the I-95 highway in Stafford County, Virginia, in the early hours of June 1, 2026. The collision between a bus and six other vehicles claimed the lives of five people, including a family of four who were traveling to South Carolina for a wedding.

The victims were identified as Dmitri Doncev (45), his wife Ecaterina Doncev (44), and their two children, Emily (14) and Mark (7). Dmitri was a nurse at Holyoke Medical Center, while his wife, Ecaterina, was a hairstylist who had spent days meticulously preparing homemade desserts for the wedding. The family had emigrated from Moldova to the United States in 2008.

Expressing the depth of this loss, Carolina Bublik stated: “A son, a father — the whole family — everyone that has been dear to us”. According to Bublik, Dmitri and his brother Iuri were traveling in separate vehicles but intended to stay together. She recounted the moment the family realized something was wrong: “At some point they ended up getting separated. Dmitri said, ‘You go ahead. I’ll catch up later.’ It was a big shock when Iuri arrived at the house. Dmitri should have arrived around the same time. When his car did not show up, and he wasn’t picking up the phone — that’s when the family started panicking.”. The fifth victim was identified as 25-year-old Priscilla Mafalda.

The accident occurred at 2:35 a.m. on Friday, as traffic slowed for a construction zone. Virginia State Police confirmed that the southbound bus “failed to slow” as it approached the backed-up traffic, plowing into six vehicles and causing one to catch fire. The horrific incident resulted in 44 other people being hospitalized.

The bus driver, 48-year-old Jing S. Dong of Staten Island, New York, has been arrested and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The prosecutor’s office noted that additional charges are likely once the investigation is complete.

Reflecting on the victims, family friend Anatoliy Bublik wrote on GoFundMe: “Today, words cannot adequately express the pain and sorrow felt by their family, friends, church community, coworkers, classmates, and all who had the privilege of knowing them. Their absence leaves a void that can never be filled, but their memories, their love, and the countless lives they touched will remain forever in our hearts.”.