DELAWARE, OHIO — A jury deliberated just over 90 minutes Friday before finding semi-truck driver Modou Ngom guilty of three counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and five counts of vehicular assault in connection with a fiery nine-vehicle crash on Interstate 71 near the Tanger Outlets that killed a husband, wife, and their 1-year-old son.
Luke and Lynnea Soposki and their son Logan were killed in the crash. Three other people were severely injured. Ngom faces a maximum sentence of 22 and a half years in prison across all eight counts. Sentencing is scheduled for October 29.
Prosecutors said Ngom failed to brake while driving through a construction zone, causing the chain reaction crash. During his testimony Friday, Ngom told jurors he was not driving recklessly and that he was looking at his side mirror and attempting to move into the left lane when he failed to see cars stopped in traffic ahead.
Delaware County Prosecutor Melissa Schiffel said the verdict brings a measure of closure to the victims’ families. “This has been a tragedy since the day it happened. Today is just a piece, a little bit of the closure that the families need.”
Lynnea’s brother Jesse Mallen, who had spoken with ABC 6 earlier in the week about what a guilty verdict would mean, reflected on the limits of what the justice system can offer. “He could be in jail for one day or the rest of his life, but none of the scenarios will bring my sister or nephew back,” Mallen said. “Certainly he should pay for what he did, but I am not out for vengeance. I just want to prevent something like this from happening again.”
Interviews courtesy of local media.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
