Cedar Hills mayor aims to avert DUI deaths

PROVO — On Christmas Eve, Cedar Hills Mayor Mike McGee learned that three residents of his town had been killed by a driver suspected of being drunk. On Dec. 26, he was already making phone calls to legislators to see if he could change state laws to keep the same thing from happening again.

Had it not been Christmas, he probably wouldn't have waited that long to pick up the phone.

"There absolutely needs to be something done, because things are not as they should be, it appears," McGee said of his determination to present a resolution to Utah County's mayors to suggest a legislative change.

McGee said he is already researching ways to change legislation in three areas: the consequences of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, illegal immigration and prosecution approaches to DUI cases.

The specifics of what proposed changes McGee will suggest are still in the works, but McGee says he is sure of one thing — he's not going to take no for an answer.

"I'm at the point now where I feel very strongly about this and I'm not going to just let it go silently into the night," McGee said. "I've been told by many people that this isn't a state issue, but I think it should be."

On Dec. 24, Cheryl Ceran, her son Ian, 15, and daughter Julianna, 7, were killed when they were hit by Carlos Rodolfo Prieto, 24. Police say Prieto ran a red light and crashed into the Ceran family's vehicle.

Although Prieto has no other previously documented DUI charges — initial police reports erroneously reported otherwise — police say he admitted to having five beers that night. He also had a blood alcohol content level over the legal limit of .08 at the time of the accident.

Prieto does not have a driver's license and is believed to be an illegal immigrant. He was charged last week with several misdemeanors and felonies, including three counts of automobile homicide.

McGee says one of the reasons he's exploring changing Utah's laws is because he feels responsible for the residents of his city, but his emotional connection to DUI-related deaths runs much deeper. McGee says he has never met the Ceran family, but while growing up in New Mexico he endured several friends' deaths from DUI-related accidents.

"I'm very, very familiar with the devastating effects on a family when they lose someone from a DUI accident," McGee said. "It has devastating consequences on families. I think something needs to be done about it because a DUI-related death is completely avoidable."

McGee said he would like to address the illegal immigration issue with the state Legislature, but he also has made calls to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Rep. Chris Cannon , R-Utah, as well as Utah's other federal representatives to see what can be done.