DELAWARE, OHIO — The truck driver indicted in the Interstate 71 chain-reaction crash that killed three members of an Ohio family has pleaded not guilty to all charges, as the criminal case now moves toward a summer trial.
Modou Ngom, 50, of Columbus, appeared in Delaware County court Tuesday afternoon and entered not guilty pleas to seven charges tied to the April 11 wreck. He is charged with three counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and four counts of vehicular assault.
His previously set bond of $500,000 remains in place. Court records show a final pretrial hearing is scheduled for June 1, and trial is currently set to begin June 23.
Charges Stem From Deadly Nine-Vehicle Crash
The charges stem from a fatal multi-vehicle crash that happened around 6:27 p.m. on April 11 on Interstate 71 near the U.S. 36/State Route 37 interchange in Delaware County.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ngom was driving a 2006 Freightliner semi-truck and trailer northbound when he failed to stop as he approached backed-up traffic. Investigators said the semi was following too closely to the vehicle ahead and struck traffic from behind, triggering a chain-reaction crash involving nine vehicles total.
Three people riding in a Chevrolet Silverado were killed in the crash: 37-year-old Luke Soposki, 36-year-old Lynnea Soposki, and their 1-year-old son, Logan. All three were from Ashley, Ohio.
Three other people were hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Witness Described Flames and Chaos
A driver who witnessed the crash said the scene unfolded in a matter of seconds.
“I saw the semi on the other side going northbound. Running into vehicles and coming towards the median right to my left. And immediately flames were shooting into the air. It was one of those moments where it’s like slow motion, and you’re thinking, ‘Am I seeing what I’m seeing?’ It was so wild,” witness Carissa Shaw said.
She also described people rushing toward one of the damaged vehicles.
“People ran over to a red vehicle that was right to my left, and tried to help, but the whole driver’s side was mangled,” Shaw said.
Driver Holds Ohio CDL, Prior Crash Noted in Records
Records show Ngom holds a valid Ohio commercial driver’s license. Reports also note he has received several traffic citations since 2007.
He was also involved in a 2024 crash in which a piece of equipment reportedly fell from his truck and struck a vehicle behind him. That crash report noted he was operating an “unsafe vehicle.”
Construction Zone Area Under Review
The area where the crash occurred is under construction as part of the Sunbury Parkway interchange project. The Ohio Department of Transportation said the crash investigation is expected to provide insight into what role, if any, the construction zone may have played.
In addition to the highway patrol, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Sunbury Police Department, Genoa Township Police Department, Delaware County EMS, Delaware County Coroner’s Office, Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office, BST&G Fire Department, and the Ohio Department of Transportation all responded to the scene.
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