Staged manslaughter preps MHS kids for Prom

Maricopa High School juniors and seniors prepared for Saturday’s Prom night by watching their classmates lie bloody and lifeless, scattered around a totaled car. 

Maricopa police and fire put on their annual “Don’t Crash the Prom” demonstration this morning, the second since the pandemic, with four MHS seniors who played the parts of a drunken killer and his Prom night victims well: Filimon Kednmarey, Steven Stiles, William Laufer and Morgan Mundell. 

“If you choose to drink or ingest drugs on the night of Prom, please do not drive,” Police Chief Mark Goodman told the students. “Call a friend, call a responsible adult, call a rideshare service, call anyone you know that can come pick you up and bring you somewhere safe. 

“I would much rather face the consequences of getting those calls, than getting the call that says my child is not coming home,” Goodman said. 

Fire Chief Brad Pitassi added: “It is a decision. Drinking and driving is a choice.” 

Before last year, the demonstration wasn’t held since 2019. 

“If we can just reach one student when they’re going to prom, or after prom, or even in the next years of their life,” said Chris Cahall, Maricopa Police Foundation. “If this impacts them at any point in time to make a different decision, then we’ve won.” 

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