Murray, Utah – A mother and two of her children were killed in an automobile crash after a man police believed to be intoxicated allegedly ran a red light, police said.
The Sunday morning crash killed Cheryl Ceran, 47, Ian Ceran, 15, and 7-year-old Julinna Ceran, all of Cedar Hills, Utah.
Cheryl Ceran’s husband, Gary Ceran, 45, and two other children, Clarissa, 18 and Caleb, 12, were also injured, but will recover, Murray Police Sgt. Paul Christiansen said. The two children remained hospitalized Sunday, according to family friend Sally Deitlein.
The family was headed home from some late-night Christmas shopping when the 2:30 a.m. accident occurred, Christiansen said.
Cheryl Ceran was driving east on 5400 South headed for Interstate 15 when her car was broadsided in the intersection of 700 West by a northbound pickup truck.
The 24-year-old male driver of the truck was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence, driving without a license and an additional traffic violation for running a red light, a jail supervisor said.
A family friend said that before shopping, the family had attended a cast party for the Hale Centre Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol” in West Valley City.
Gary Ceran played the role of Bob Cratchit in the production, and the two surviving children also had small roles in the play, Deitlein, the theatre’s executive producer, said.
Deitlein said the Cerans have suffered a tremendous amount of heartache.
Prior to Sunday’s accident the Cerans had lost five other children to illnesses, she said.
