A Bowling Green student died of alcohol poisoning after downing a bottle of bourbon last year, and five fraternity brothers have been jailed for his hazing murder.
Stone Foltz, 21, died in March after a grueling night of hazing at the Ohio university, during which he was forced to drink an entire liter bottle of Evan Williams whiskey.
It was for a ‘Big Little Night’ celebration at Bowling Green University’s Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity home.
The frat members drove Foltz home, where a roommate discovered him unconscious and transported him to the hospital. He was on life support for three days before passing away.
After pleading guilty to reckless murder, Jarrett Prizel, 20, was sentenced to 28 days in prison.
Daylen Dunson, 22, was sentenced to 21 days in jail for the same act, while Benjamin Boyers, 22, was sentenced to two years of probation.
Niall Sweeney, 21, of Erie, Pennsylvania, and Aaron Lehane, 21, of Loveland, Ohio, both pled guilty to tampering with evidence and hazing, as well as impeding government business.
Sweeney received a 14-day prison term, while Lehane received a two-year probation sentence.
The punishments were the utmost permissible under the existing legislation, making them misdemeanors.
They might have faced up to five years in jail on felony charges if they had been punished under the new hazing legislation.
Three other members of the fraternity who were also accused have yet to be sentenced.
The counsel for Foltz’s family claim that they are ‘not important,’ and that the case would have taken far longer if the court had been authorized to rule under earlier statutes.
His parents, on the other hand, say they’respect’ the legal system and are now focused on completely eliminating hazing.
Universities and Greek organizations must be held responsible for establishing and sustaining hazing-friendly cultures.
Because those in positions of authority refuse to protect them, Stone and many other students have been horribly maimed or died.
‘We aim to take steps to require all Ohio colleges to vigorously enforce their regulations so that hazing, which is endemic on their campuses, is eradicated once and for all.’
In a statement, Stone’s parents, Shari and Cory, stated, “There is no other acceptable solution for Stone or our family.”
Adam Oakes, a 19-year-old student at Virginia Commonwealth University, died in February after being forced to swallow a 40z bottle of whiskey. Foltz is one of three fraternity members who died in hazing events last year.
Phat Nguyen died in November following a gruesome night of hazing at Michigan State University, during which he and three other students were discovered passed out in a frat house basement, covered in their own vomit and urine.
Blood was observed streaming from one of the youngsters’ nostrils as he was ‘convulsing.’ The other three people made it out alive.