Man Accused in Fatal DUI Wreck Makes Initial Court Appearance

Sandra Yi/Mary Richards Reporting The man charged in a drunk driving crash that killed three members of a Cedar Hills family, made his first court appearance today.

This was just his initial appearance, so it was quick. We did learn that Carlos Prieto hired an attorney.

Prieto appeared on a live video feed, from the Salt Lake County Jail. Speaking through an interpreter, Prieto corrected his birth date. He said, he had an attorney, and the judge told him, his lawyer was in the courtroom. Prieto stood quietly as the judge read the charges against him. Prosecutors have charged Prieto with automobile homicide, driving under the influence and no driver's license. If convicted, he could go to prison for 30 years.

Langdon Fisher, Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office: "If he is convicted of all counts he could be looking at many decades in prison, if those terms are run consecutively."

Prosecutors say this is a case that is emotional for everyone involved.

Langdon Fisher: "The impact of something like this on a community, of course, is visceral. We all feel for this family right off the bat as we would any family that suffers this kind of tragedy at this level."

Police arrested Prieto on Christmas Eve morning, after he ran a red light and broadsided a car carrying the Ceran family. Cheryl Ceran and two children died. Cheryl's husband and two other children survived. The family was on their way home, after a cast party at the Hale Centre Theatre.

In an interview with KSL last week, Gary Ceran said he had no anger for Prieto. No one from the Ceran family or the Prieto family showed up in court today.

Immigration officials told us that Prieto is here illegally from Mexico. Prosecutors say that won't affect their criminal case.

Another hearing has been set for next week.

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