DUI tragedy leads to backlash

As the Ceran family prepares to lay a mother and her two children to rest this weekend, some Utahns are expressing outrage over the news that the man being accused of causing the tragic DUI crash is here in this country illegally.

Since federal immigration officials confirmed that 24-year-old Carlos Rodolfo Prieto is an illegal immigrant, those advocating strict enforcement of immigration laws are saying this tragedy could have been avoided if lawmakers cracked down on illegal immigration.

Those visiting KSL-TV Ch. 5's Web site, KSL.com, have sparked a heated debate over the tragedy and its implications to the illegal immigration debate with over 200 posted comments.

"This guy was illegal and with most illegals they do not respect our laws. Why, because if they did they would not be ILLEGALS! I am a firm believer that there are many more that have committed or on their way to committing tragedies such as this," one KSL viewer wrote.

Others say the fact that Prieto is here illegally has no bearing on the fact that DUI is a serious issue on its own.

"This story is about a drunk driver. Why are we talking about immigration? Unfortunately, we are not all on the same page," another KSL viewer wrote.

"You don't have to be an illegal immigrant to break the laws on driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Alcoholism and substance abuse are equal opportunity addictions and do not discriminate based on race, religion, creed or gender," a different viewer responded.

The accident, anti-illegal immigration advocates say, is an example of the problems illegal immigrants bring into the country.

"I feel for the family," said Alex Segura, head of the Utah Minutemen Project, "but we can't forget that if he had not been in the country illegally then this man would still have his family."

On Thursday, prosecutors filed three counts of automobile homicide, a third-degree felony; two counts of driving under the influence and causing bodily injury, also a third-degree felony; and misdemeanor charges of DUI and not having a driver's license against Prieto.

Prieto is accused of running a red light at the intersection of 700 West and 5400 South early Sunday, smashing into a car carrying six members of the Ceran family, who were returning home from a Christmas party at the Hale Centre Theater.

Cheryl Ceran and her 15-year-old son, Ian, and 7-year-old daughter, Julianna, were killed. Husband Gary Ceran and two other children, 19-year-old Clarissa and 12-year-old Caleb, survived but were hospitalized.