COLUMBUS Construction Zone Horror, Three Killed, Including 1-Year-Old Child, in Devastating I-71 Nine-Vehicle Pileup.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A tragic chain-reaction crash on Interstate 71 has left three people dead, including a 1-year-old child, and led to vehicular homicide charges against a Columbus truck driver following a devastating nine-vehicle collision in a construction zone.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred around 6:27 p.m. Saturday in the northbound lanes of I-71 near the U.S. Route 36 interchange in Delaware County. Authorities said traffic had slowed significantly due to an active construction zone when tragedy struck.
Investigators reported that a 2006 Freightliner semi-truck, driven by 50-year-old Modou F. Ngom of Columbus, failed to stop for a line of stopped traffic. The semi violently collided with several vehicles, triggering a massive chain reaction that ultimately involved nine vehicles in total.
Among the most devastating impacts was a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado carrying three victims from Ashley, Ohio. Troopers confirmed the deceased include a 37-year-old man, a 36-year-old woman, and a 1-year-old child. Authorities have not yet released their names, pending notification of family members.
Three additional individuals were injured in the crash and transported to nearby hospitals with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.
Following the collision, Ngom was taken into custody and booked into the Delaware County Jail, where he remains held on charges of vehicular homicide as the investigation continues.
The crash forced the closure of both northbound and southbound lanes of I-71 for several hours while emergency responders worked the scene and crash reconstruction teams examined the extensive wreckage.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that led to the deadly pileup, which has left a community mourning an unimaginable loss.
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