STOW, Ohio — State Senator Casey Weinstein and the family of Megan Keleman announced the introduction of new legislation one year after she was killed in a Taco Bell drive-thru line in Stow.
If the proposed bill becomes law, it would be known as "Megan's Way Out."
Her family said Megan was trapped at the time she was killed with no access to an escape lane.
Watch the announcement below:
Keleman and her dog, Penny, were in line at a Taco Bell drive-thru in Stow on Graham Road on Aug. 14, 2024. She was blocked in because it was a single-lane drive-thru.
The driver behind her, a stranger identified as Jason Williams, started ramming his car into hers.
He then got out of his SUV, and shot and killed the 25-year-old woman before taking his own life.
"Megan was trapped, she was stuck," her mom, Kelly, said. "She had no way out."
Megan's father, Nick, was on the phone with her when she was fatally shot. She had called her dad after the stranger slammed into her car.
"Anyone can put themselves in my situation. I was on the phone with her the entire time. As a father, and for those who know me, I would do anything for anybody. I'd do anything to protect my family, and I could not protect my daughter, Megan," he said.
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For Keleman's parents, the one-year anniversary of her tragic death meant remembering her for her kindness and big heart, honoring her passion to help friends and at-risk youth, and pushing for safety changes through Megan's Way Out.
"Let's do it. Let's make it happen. That's why we want to do this. That's what Megan would have wanted. That's what Megan would do. That's what she would want," her father said.
Weinstein announced the bill would require all new or significantly renovated drive-thru businesses to have an escape bypass lane from those drive-thrus so that drivers have an option to get away in the event of an emergency.
"It is not just a response to one tragedy. It is a step toward preventing future ones, and none of it would be possible without the strength and advocacy of the Keleman family," Weinstein said.
However, the city of Stow isn't waiting for state law. In September, a Megan's Way Out ordinance— specific to the city— is expected to pass.
It would require a bypass lane on any new or modified drive-thrus. The owners of a new Taco Bell that is being built at Norton and Darrow Roads in Stow have agreed to build a bypass lane even though the city ordinance hasn't passed yet.
"It's a terrible way to go ahead and have action take place, but that being said, you can rest assured, that we started this in Stow and we will follow through," Stow Mayor John Pribonic said.
Weinstein is looking for a cosponsor of the bill. He hopes to hold hearings in the fall, with a goal of getting it signed into law next year.
For the Kelemans, that would mean Megan is still helping others, even though she's gone. They hope Megan's Way Out becomes the law in Ohio and spreads to all of the other states.
"She left behind love and strength, and she will help others, and we want to honor her," Kelly Keleman said.
