Crash Victim Asks Leniency for Drunk Driver who Killed His Family

By Anastacia Mott Austin

In a Salt Lake City courtroom yesterday, car accident survivor Gary Ceran asked the judge to show leniency to Carlos Prieto, the man who caused the crash.

On Christmas Eve of last year, Ceran, his wife, and their four children were driving home after a late night performance of "A Christmas Carol," in which Ceran had portrayed Bob Crachit. Prieto ran a red light and crashed into the family’s car, instantly killing Ceran’s wife Cheryl and their 15-year-old son Ian. Their daughter Julianna, 7, was critically injured and died later at an area hospital. Ceran and two other children in the car were sitting in the back seat and received only minor injuries.

"I want Carlos to know I forgive him," Ceran said tearfully at the sentencing yesterday. Carlos Prieto, who was sitting just behind Ceran in shackles, wept also. Added Ceran, "Hasn’t there been enough suffering?"

Gary Ceran, a devoted Mormon, said he believed that forgiving Prieto was the right thing to do, and read sections of the Bible containing messages of forgiveness. The case has received attention because Prieto was in the country illegally, and had a blood alcohol level of .19, over twice the legal limit for the state of Utah. He admitted to police that he’d had five beers that evening.

The prosecuting attorney in the case argued for three consecutive sentences of five years each. Prieto pleaded guilty in April of this year to three counts of vehicular homicide in exchange for the alcohol-related charges being dropped. Prosecutor Langdon Fisher told the press he could not remember a case in which he had pushed for a more severe sentence than the victim requested, but argued, "Society has an interest in what is done beyond the feelings of the victims."

For his part, a remorseful Prieto has taken part in alcohol rehabilitation and counseling, adding, "I wish I could give my life so [Gary Ceran] could have his happiness back."

District court judge Vernice Trease told The Deseret Morning News that in making her decision, she must weigh the crime against the fact that Prieto had no prior criminal record and his demonstration of remorse. She sentenced Prieto to 10 years behind bars, a lighter sentence than the prosecution had requested.

"If Carlos were to look me in the eye, shake my hand and say that he’ll do all in his power to see that this will never happen again, that would be enough for us," said Ceran. Prieto would welcome that chance, he said, and wrote a letter of apology which was given to Ceran at the end of the sentencing hearing.

"I just want to thank this wonderful man who has forgiven me," said Prieto. "I wish I could do something to heal the pain. To heal the heart. Not a time I don’t think about it."