A Massachusetts woman who was looking forward to a break in Florida was killed in a devastating multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 near Quantico, Virginia, just a day after sharing her travel excitement with a close friend.
Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, was among five people who lost their lives in the early Friday morning collision involving a passenger bus and several vehicles in a work zone area.
Final Messages Before the Journey
In what would become her last known conversation about the trip, Mafalda told a friend she was exhausted but grateful to finally be taking time off.
“I’m very tired but thank God I’m finally taking some vacation time.
I’m going to Florida,” she said, according to her friend Thaiz Ramos, who later spoke to reporters.
Ramos said Mafalda also promised to call once she arrived at her destination. That call never came.
“I am still waiting for that call, because part of me still cannot believe she is gone,” Ramos said, describing the emotional shock of the loss.
Crash in a Highway Work Zone
Authorities say Mafalda was traveling with her husband, Igor Ernesto, in a Chevrolet Suburban when the vehicle was struck by a passenger bus that failed to slow down in time near a construction zone.
The impact of the collision pushed the Suburban into another vehicle, an Acura carrying a family of four.
All four occupants of that car were also killed.
The victims were identified as Dmitri Doncev, 45, his wife Ecaterina Doncev, 44, and their children, Emily Doncev, 14, and Mark Doncev, 7.
Multiple Fatalities and Widespread Injuries
Officials confirmed that the crash resulted in five deaths and left dozens injured.
At least 44 people were taken to hospitals, with three reported in critical condition.
Emergency responders described a chaotic scene involving multiple agencies and a large-scale medical response due to the number of victims and vehicles involved.
A Federal Transit Administration spokesperson at the scene called it one of the most distressing incidents they had witnessed, noting that patients were transported to several hospitals across the region.
Survivors Describe Chaos on the Bus
Passengers aboard the bus recounted scenes of panic and confusion immediately after the collision.
One passenger, Wayne Tobin, said he was traveling to attend his mother’s funeral when the crash occurred.
“It was horrible. It was just like blood everywhere, it was people holding their head. Their heads were bleeding,” he said.
Another passenger, Judy, described waking up to sudden violence inside the vehicle, saying she heard screaming and saw glass flying everywhere as the bus overturned, forcing passengers to break windows to escape.
Driver Faces Criminal Charges
The driver of the bus, identified as Jing S. Dong, 48, is now facing five counts of involuntary manslaughter and a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving.
Officials said Dong, a Chinese immigrant and U.S. citizen, obtained his commercial driver’s license in New York in 2024 and previously had a traffic citation in Maryland for speeding in a work zone area.
Authorities also noted he had been scheduled for a court appearance in connection with that earlier violation.
Dong was injured in the crash and remains hospitalized but is expected to stay in police custody.
A Life Remembered in Massachusetts
Mafalda, who was originally from Brazil, had built her life in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she worked for a home-cleaning company for several years.
Colleagues and friends described her as warm, hardworking, and deeply caring toward others.
Her employer, Monique Almeida, said Mafalda became much more than an employee, remembering her “beautiful smile” and the way she made others feel comfortable and valued.
Friends echoed that sentiment, calling her one of the kindest people they had ever known and expressing grief over the future plans they would never get to fulfill together.
Fundraising Efforts and Family Response
An online fundraiser was created to help return Mafalda’s remains to Brazil for burial, quickly raising more than $21,000 before being paused.
Organizers later stated that funeral transport costs had been covered and that remaining funds would be redirected toward medical care and rehabilitation for survivors of the crash.
Officials also noted that Mafalda’s husband was hospitalized following the collision, though his condition has not been publicly confirmed.
