Fiery fatal crash in Delaware County involving nine vehicles closed I-71 for hours

DELAWARE COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) -- Both sides of Interstate 71 were closed Saturday night due to a fatal multi-vehicle crash at US-36/SR-37. The collision occurred at 6:27 p.m. and according to Ohio State Highway Patrol, nine vehicles, including one semi truck, were involved. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a 2006 Freightliner semi-truck and trailer driven by Modou F. Ngom, 50, of Columbus, was traveling north and failed to stop as he approached a traffic backup. Police said that Ngom's truck hit several vehicles from behind, resulting in the nine-car crash. Three people -- a 37 -year-old man, a 36-year-old woman, and a one-year-old child, all from Ashley, Ohio, and traveling in a Chevrolet Silverado -- were killed. Three other people were hospitalized with serious, non-life-threatening injuries. Carissa Shaw, a driver who witnessed the crash, said that the scene was unbelievable. "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," Shaw said. "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." Ngom is being held in Delaware County Jail on vehicular homicide charges. The area of the crash is currently under construction for the Sunbury Parkway interchange project. The Ohio Department of Transportation said the crash investigation will provide insight into how the construction played a role in the crash. In addition to the highway patrol, the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, the 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.