Garry and Leah Kelly of Moline are described as soulmates that do everything together by family and friends. The courtroom was full of people waiting to hear the terms negotiated between the State and Defense for the Kewanee woman charged with the deaths of Garry and Leah Kelly, some were survivors of the accident, some were family and friends of the victims and some were family and friends of the defendant. Folding chairs were needed to accommodate the number of loved ones hoping to find some closure and justice for Garry and Leah Kelly. Emotions ran high, especially when Garry’s and Leah’s sons talked about how their lives ended when their parents were killed. Warner pleaded guilty to one count of Aggravated DUI Causing Death and the remaining count and traffic citations will be dismissed as part of the plea deal. Jerni Warner got 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) followed by two years of Mandatory Supervised Release, Warner must serve 85% (11.9 years) of the sentence, Credit for 632 days Served will apply to the fine only, $15,000 fine plus assessments and she must report to court services within 30 days of release from IDOC to make payment arrangements. The 314 days Warner was in custody of the Mary Davis Juvenile Detention Center will be assessed to her parents for $39,445. Jerni Warner was 17-years-old on September 5, 2021, when she drove under the influence of alcohol and cocaine and killed two people and injured seven people. Ms. Warner was traveling south on Highway 78 in a White Chevy Malibu when she completely crossed the center line and struck a Harley Davidson Motorcycle head-on and then a Black Chevy Suburban in the side causing the SUV to roll into the ditch.
Garry and Leah Kelly were ejected from the motorcycle and died at the scene, they were both 42-years-old. Garry and Leah leave behind three children, parents, siblings, family and friends. The two adults and five children, ages 1 month to 45-years-old, in the SUV survived the accident but live with emotional trauma, especially the children.
The judicial process has been hard on the Kelly and Egert families, including numerous delays and the previous Defense Attorney showing the courtroom very graphic photographs of Garry and Leah at the accident scene. The families may have accepted the plea deal but they are not happy with the sentence and feel that Warner deserves more than 14 years in prison. Warner was charged with two counts of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence Causing a Death, which are subject to an extended term and carries a prison sentence of 3-14 years per count.
State’s Attorney Runty began by reading a Victim Impact Statement from Garry Kelly’s sister, Jennifer Kelly. Jennifer Kelly recalled the day she got a phone call from her Uncle Roger as she was carrying groceries into her house as “this would be the worst day of my life”. He said “Garry and Leah are dead” and Jennifer said she had to go and call her Dad. “Our world was shattered that day.” “I’m a different person now.” “My Dad is a different person now.” Jennifer said she visited the crash site for days and weeks looking for answers but didn’t find any. Jennifer opted to view her brother’s body but it didn’t help with questions about how he died. It was later when she finally got answers about how her brother died. Jennifer said it was a blessing her brother died because he wouldn’t be able to walk or enjoy his life given his traumatic injuries. “I was angry, very angry.” Garry and Leah Kelly were in Kewanee playing a Dart Game at a local tavern. “They didn’t have alcohol in their system.” The Kelly’s were not “drinkers” and instead drank Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew. “Garry won’t get to walk his daughter down the aisle.” “He won’t get to meet his grandchildren.” Jennifer said she holds Warner accountable for their death but also holds Jerni’s parents accountable.
Garry and Leah’s oldest son, Easton, struggled to find the appropriate words to say. He said “there are a lot of things I want to say but I can’t”. Easton was stationed in California with the US Marine Core when his parents were killed. Easton said he had never been to a funeral before but now has gone to two. He described how it felt to watch his siblings clean his parents blood off the jewelry they were wearing when they died. He described how the water turned red with their blood. He said their “blood is on her hands too” referring to Jerni Warner. Easton said he called his parents for everything. He is scheduled to graduate from College but said he doesn’t care about that anymore. Easton told Jerni that this sentence does not pay her debt. “It will never pay your debt as long as you live.”
The younger son of Garry and Leah, Tristean, started by saying this is the first time in two years that he has had the chance to speak directly to his parents “killer”. He said his mom had a heart of gold and his dad was a beacon of joy. He said the last time he saw his mom he didn’t get to give her a hug because she had to get back to work. He said the last time he saw his dad they talked about going fishing but they never got to set a date. “The only solace I have is my parents sacrificed their lives that day to save others.” Tristean told Jerni that he wished he could see his parents in a courtroom or visitation room like you get to see yours. “Not only did you take two lives, you took the lives of many others.” “Your soul will never be cleansed for the lives you took.” He said they have been robbed of their love and future memories they could make. “May Justice be served.”
Leah’s older sister, Jennifer, said her sister had “the patience of a saint” towards the elderly and children. Jennifer said that Garry said “he wouldn’t be the man he is without her” but Leah “wouldn’t be the woman she is without him” said Jennifer. “Their lives are over.” Leah and Garry will never attend another event referring to Jerni Warner requesting Furlough for her Grandmother’s funeral. Jennifer told Jerni “Leah’s and Garry’s lives are over but yours is not”. Jennifer said it wouldn’t be justice if Jerni walks out of prison with the same vices. “Your life isn’t over.” “Spend your life trying to fill the void you left us.” Jennifer said “Live your life, Live it Well, that would be Justice.”
Jonathan Hawk was the driver of the SUV that rolled into the ditch after Jerni’s vehicle struck the side of their SUV. Jonathan Hawk said he debated giving a victim impact statement because the “affects on my family pale in comparison to what you did to the Kelly’s”. He said that he watched her vehicle cross the center line and head towards the motorcycle and them. He said he was waiting for her to correct but she didn’t. “We were hanging upside down, hanging by our seat belts.” “I could smell gasoline as it dripped on the hot engine.” “I thought we were going to die.” Jonathan said he knew he had to get out of the seat belt and crawl to the rear of the car. He said he had to crawl past his fiance, his 1 month old child that wasn’t moving or making any noise and past his 5-year-old son screaming because he couldn’t get out of his seat belt. He said two people appeared at the back of the vehicle and he asked them for a knife so he could cut the seat belts and save his family. While at the hospital, he said he had to hear Jerni laughing and joking in the emergency room. He said “maybe you were still drunk or high, maybe you didn’t know you killed two people or maybe you just didn’t care”. He said his 10-year-old child doesn’t want to get in a vehicle and has nightmares. He said he had to watch as the scar healed on his 6-year-old child’s face. He said his 1 month old baby had a concussion and they don’t know how a concussion will affect him for the rest of his life.
Michelle and Leah Kelly were best friends and colleagues. Michelle said “There are so many positives in my left because of Leah’s help. I have my husband because Leah” in a printed statement provided to RegionalMediaNews. “She loved her children with all she had. She was so proud of all three and would walk through fire for them. All mothers should glow the way she did when they speak of their children. This world would be a better place.” “I’m so angry about how unfair it all is. Leah and Garry drank Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew. And a drunk driver killed them both.” “The parents of the daughter who killed her daughter cried and carried on in front of Judy who will never get to speak to her daughter again. No thought on how Judy felt losing part of her lifeline and they cared less about opening the wound each time she had to enter the courtroom.” Judy is Leah’s mother and she would have had to endure comments, photographs, drone footage, body cam footage, and “the devastation of such a stupid act and what caused their death”. “Judy had to prepare to hear and see what transpired” should the case go to trial. “I do not want to forget. I just want her back. I want to see her again and I won’t…”
Jerni Warner gave an unsworn statement to the court. Her face was emotionless for the hearing and victim impact statements but she sounded and appeared upset as she read her statement. Jerni said “September 5, 2021, is a day I will never forget”. “I will live with that for the rest of my life.” She said she constantly thinks about how the families have to live with this. “Nothing will ever ease the pain.” “I never wanted to hurt anyone.” Jerni said that a monster didn’t set out that day to hurt anyone. She said she was a 17-year-old that made a “life altering mistake”. Jerni said that “Sorry is just a word” but that she means it from the bottom of her heart.
The joint obituary for Garry and Leah Kelly said “The former Leah Robin Egert was born September 13, 1978, in Silvis, to Robin and Judy (Horton) Egert. Garry was born October 4, 1978, in Moline. The couple married on June 22, 2013, in Moline, after being together for 13 years. Leah was business manager for Fort Armstrong Assisted Living, Rock Island. Garry was a millwright for Grisham Industries, Davenport.
Leah and Garry were truly soulmates who did everything together. Family was most important to them. They loved traveling on their motorcycle and just finished visiting all 48 lower states, as well as Canada and Mexico. They were avid Alabama football fans and enjoyed fishing and boating.”
