DELAWARE COUNTY, OHIO — The Columbus truck driver accused of plowing into stopped traffic and killing a family of three on Interstate 71 made his first court appearance Monday. Prosecutors upgraded his charge to aggravated vehicular homicide and said additional charges are expected.
Modou Ngom, 50, of Columbus, appeared in Delaware County Common Pleas Court on Monday. The court set a $500,000 cash surety bond and ordered Ngom not to drive. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 21 at 3 p.m. If convicted, Ngom faces between 12 and 60 months in prison. State prosecutors said they anticipate filing more charges.
What Happened
The crash occurred at approximately 6:27 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, on northbound I-71 near the U.S. Route 36/State Route 37 exit in Delaware County. The area was part of an active construction zone connected to the ODOT Sunbury Parkway project, with concrete barriers in place and traffic slowed and redirected. Approximately 20 vehicles were stopped in the right lane attempting to merge off I-71 at the Tanger Outlet exit.
Ngom’s semi-truck and trailer failed to stop for the backed-up traffic and slammed into several vehicles from behind, triggering a nine-vehicle chain reaction. Newly released ODOT video captured the moment the semi struck a stopped pickup truck. A man and woman in their 30s and their 1-year-old child, all from Ashley, Ohio, were traveling in a Chevrolet and were killed in the crash. Three other people sustained injuries but are expected to survive. I-71 closed in both directions near the crash site for several hours Saturday evening.
It remains unclear what caused the crash. Investigators have not confirmed whether speed or the construction zone played a contributing role. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is leading the investigation and did not respond to media inquiries on Monday.
According to OSHP, Delaware County recorded 13 fatal crashes in 2025 and 19 in 2024.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
