Seven Bowling Green State University students and one former student have been charged with the alleged hazing death of 20-year-old Stone Foltz earlier this year.
The Wood County Grand Jury returned indictments against the men which included the charges of Involuntary Manslaughter, Reckless Homicide, Hazing, Obstructing Official Business, and other misdemeanor charges. The potential maximum prison sentence for each of the felony charges ranges from three to eleven years in prison.
According to the autopsy, Foltz died of a fatal level of alcohol intoxication during a Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity off-campus event at the beginning of March. His blood-alcohol level was .35, or four times the legal limit. Prosecutors say he finished a fifth of a high percentage alcohol as other members of the fraternity watched.
“From what we have learned, we believe and allege that hazing was an integral part of this event. There are many more people to identify being at or involved in this event. Those who have been indicted may still have more liability coming,” says Paul Dobson, the Wood County Prosecuting Attorney. “The result of this event was catastrophic, and I want to say this to the people who were at the event. If you don’t even attempt to be part of the solution, you may well be identified as part of the problem.”
Media release from the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office 4/29/2020: Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Dobson announced today that the Wood County Grand Jury returned indictments against several individuals in the death of BGSU student Stone Foltz. The indictments stem from an alleged Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity event the evening of March 4th at an off-campus house which Mr. Foltz was required to attend along with the other new members. A roommate later found Mr. Foltz unresponsive in his Bowling Green, Ohio apartment. When first responders arrived, Mr. Foltz was not breathing and was being given CPR by his roommate. Mr. Foltz was rushed to the Wood County Hospital and then transferred to Toledo Hospital, where he died on March 7th. The Lucas County Coroner ruled the death an accident as the result of a fatal level of alcohol intoxication during a hazing incident.
On Wednesday, April 28th, the grand jury indicted:
Jacob Krinn, 20, of Delaware, Ohio on charges of first degree felony Involuntary Manslaughter, third degree felony Involuntary Manslaughter, Reckless Homicide, Felonious Assault, Hazing, Failure to comply with Underage Alcohol Laws, and Obstructing Official Business;
Daylen Dunson, 20, of Cleveland, Ohio on charges of third degree felony Involuntary Manslaughter, Tampering with Evidence, Obstructing Justice, Hazing, Failure to comply with Underage Alcohol Laws, and Obstructing Official Business;
Troy Henricksen, 23, of Grove City, Ohio on charges of third degree felony Involuntary Manslaughter, Reckless Homicide, Tampering with Evidence, Hazing, and Failure to comply with Underage Alcohol Laws;
Canyon Caldwell, 21, of Dublin, Ohio on charges of third degree felony Involuntary Manslaughter, Tampering with Evidence, Hazing, Failure to Comply with Underage Alcohol Laws, and Obstructing Official Business;
Niall Sweeney, 21, of Erie, Pennsylvania on charges of third degree felony Involuntary Manslaughter, Hazing, Failure to Comply with Underage Alcohol Laws, and Obstructing Official Business;
Jarrett Prizel, 19, of Olean, New York on charges of third degree felony Involuntary Manslaughter, Hazing, and Failure to comply with Underage Alcohol Laws;
Aaron Lehane, 21, of Loveland, Ohio on charges of Tampering with Evidence, Hazing, Failure to Comply with Underage Alcohol Laws, and Obstructing Official Business;
Benjamin Boyers, 21, of Sylvania, Ohio on charges of Hazing and Failure to comply with Underage Alcohol Laws.
Mr. Dobson said the misdemeanor charges against Mr. Boyers would be dismissed for the present time.
Most defendants were charged with multiple misdemeanor counts of Hazing, Failure to Comply with Underage Alcohol Laws, and Obstructing Official Business. Some of the alcohol-related offenses involve providing alcohol to underage persons, while others reference permitting that activity at their residence. The multiple counts of Hazing and Failure to Comply with Underage Alcohol Laws reflect the allegation that those defendants participated in providing copious amounts of alcohol to Mr. Foltz and the other new members.
First degree manslaughter alleges that the defendant caused a death by committing or attempting to commit a felony and carries a maximum penalty of 11 years in prison. Third degree felony manslaughter alleges that the defendant caused a death by committing or attempting to commit a misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, as do Reckless Homicide, Tampering with Evidence, and Obstructing Justice. Felonious Assault alleges that the defendant caused serious physical harm to another. It is a second degree felony which carries a maximum penalty of 8 years in prison.
Prosecutor Dobson thanked the Bowling Green Police Division for their tireless and ongoing investigation, as well as the Bowling Green State University police and administration for their cooperation
