The family of three people killed in a crash on Interstate 71 is asking a U.S. Senate campaign to stop using their photo in a political ad. Lynnea, Luke, and Logan Soposki were killed in a construction zone crash. A Senate campaign is now using their image in an ad without the family's consent.
Lynnea Soposki, her husband Luke, and their 1-year-old son Logan were killed near Columbus on Interstate 71 in April after a semi truck failed to stop while approaching backup traffic in a construction zone.
A family photo of the Soposkis is now being used in a campaign ad tied to Jon Husted's U.S. Senate campaign targeting Sen. Sherrod Brown. The ad is connected to the National Republican Senate Committee.
Jesse Mallen, Lynnea's brother, said the family wants their loved ones' memories kept out of politics and that they would never have wanted their image used in a political ad.
Mallen said the video of the crash is a painful reminder for friends and family. For the family, Mallen said this isn't about politics — it's personal.
"It's discourteous, it's disrespectful, more choice words I could think to use," Mallen said.
He said the family had deliberately avoided seeing the crash video, but now it plays multiple times every ad break when they try to watch something on TV.
The video remains visible on YouTube with over 5 million views.
The family emailed the Husted campaign asking for the ad to be pulled. Mallen said the campaign told other outlets it forwarded the letters to the National Republican Senate Committee.
WCPO 9 anchor Frank Marzullo reached out to the Husted campaign, which said: "The ad you're referring to is not a Husted for Senate ad. It is an NRSC ad."
The National Republican Senate Committee sent a statement that said, in part:
"Our ad campaign will continue to hold Sherrod Brown accountable."
The NRSC also said the ad featuring the family had already run its full cycle and has been replaced by new creative — a statement Mallen disputes.
"My friends in Ohio are still seeing the ad," Mallen said.
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