It came too late for Jack and Renee Reilly, but the Utah House on Monday passed a law that allows anyone to get a protective order against someone who is stalking them.
Jan. 22, Michael G. VanGerven broke into the Reilly's Salt Lake County home, upset over his breakup with their daughter, Michelle. Jack Reilly was shot and killed by VanGerven, Renee seriously injured. VanGerven then shot and killed himself.Michelle had tried to get a protective order against VanGerven, who was stalking and threatening her. But because she had never lived with him, she couldn't get one.
Rep. Lawanna Shurtliff, D-Ogden, wants to change that. "If my husband and I divorced and he stalked me, I could get a protective order against him because we had cohabitated at one time. But if my next door neighbor stalked me, I couldn't get the order."
Michelle was on hand as the bill -- amended to bear the name of her father -- passed, 73-0. It now goes to the Senate.
It would be a class A misdemeanor to violate the protective order, and the stalker could be arrested, jailed and fined for continued stalking.