Mesa widow pushes for more speeding penalties after crash kills Ranger husband

MESA, AZ — The widow of an Army Ranger who was killed in a crash after surviving the real-life “Black Hawk Down” operation is speaking out ahead of a possible plea deal on Friday.

Jeremy Kerr survived an hours-long firefight in Somalia, now known as the Battle of Mogadishu, during Operation Gothic Serpent in 1993. Years later, in February 2025, he lost his life in a Mesa crash.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and Mesa Police Department reports say Kerr was turning left onto Signal Butte Road from Weir Road when a Dodge Challenger going 113 miles per hour, driven by 23-year-old Matthew Kelliher, hit him.

Heather, Kerr’s widow, says Veterans Affairs can’t help her because her husband died while he wasn’t serving, and she’s left fighting for justice following her husband’s death.

Kelliher is expected to attend a hearing on Friday when he could take a possible plea deal in connection with the deadly crash.

Heather talked with ABC15 about her efforts to craft a bill to strengthen penalties against speeding. Watch the full report in the video player above.