Five of the defendants charged in the hazing relate death of BGSU student Stone Foltz in March 2021, have been sentenced by Judge Joel Kuhlman in Wood County Common Pleas Court earlier today (June 16).
All five had pleaded guilty a variety of charges stemming from Foltz death from alcohol poisoning. Three received jail terms.
Sentenced were:
Daylen Dunson, 22, who was president the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity chapter, at the time of the incident, was sentenced to three years of community control sanctions, 21 days in the Wood County Justice Center. He had pled guilty to reckless homicide, tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, obstructing official business, eight counts of misdemeanor hazing, and seven counts regarding providing alcohol to underage persons.
Jarrett Prizel, 20, former new member educator), was sentenced to two years of community control sanctions, 28 days in the Wood County Justice Center. He had pled guilty to reckless homicide and eight counts of misdemeanor Hazing.
Niall Sweeney, 22, former vice president and resident of house where event took place, was sentenced to two years of community control sanctions, 14 days in the Wood County Justice Center.
Benjamin Boyers, 22, (sergeant-at-arms and resident of house where event took place), was sentenced to two years of community control sanctions. He pled guilty to reckless homicide, obstructing justice, and eight counts of misdemeanor hazing.
Aaron Lehane, 22, resident of house where event took place, was sentenced to two years of community control sanctions. He pled guilty to guilty to Reckless Homicide and eight counts of misdemeanor Hazing.
In addition, all defendants received an additional 28 days electronic home monitoring and 100 hours community service.
According County Prosecutor Paul Dobson, “all defendants but Mr. Lehane, the court could have ordered prison time, but held that in reserve pending successful completion of community control sanctions (probation). The court suspended jail time over Mr. Lehane pending his compliance with the terms of his probation.”
In the press release issued after the sentencing, Dobson stated: “The defendants sentenced today had entered pleas of guilty to various charges and had cooperated with the prosecution of Jacob Krinn and Troy Henricksen, including testifying against them. Krinn and Henricksen were found guilty of counts of Hazing and Failure to Comply with Underage Alcohol Laws. Krinn was also found guilty of Obstructing Official Business.”
Stone Foltz, a new member of the fraternity, consumed a liter bottle of Evan Williams 86 proof bourbon at the big-little event. Later that night, he was left at his apartment unconscious by Jacob Krinn and others. He was found by a roommate sometime later and was taken to Wood County Hospital and then transported to The Toledo Hospital, where he died on March 7, never regaining consciousness.
The Lucas County Coroner ruled his death as “fatal ethanol intoxication during hazing incident.”
During the police investigation, several fraternity members lied to the police about the incident and engaged in destroying both physical and electronic evidence of the event.
Three co-defendants remain to be sentenced in the case – Krinn, Henricksen, and Canyon Caldwell, who had also pled guilty earlier in the case and testified at the trial. The sentencings of Krinn and Caldwell are scheduled for June 24. Henricksen is scheduled for July 29.
Flotz’s parents, Cory and Shari Foltz issued the following statement through their attorneys about the sentencings: “While today’s sentencings may be a conclusion for some of the young men convicted in relation to Stone’s death, there will be no closure for our family until hazing is permanently eradicated on college campuses. Universities and Greek organizations must be held accountable for creating and supporting environments that allow hazing to thrive. Stone and countless other students have been tragically injured or killed because people in power refuse to protect them. We fully intend to take steps to require all Ohio universities to actively enforce their policies so that hazing, which is rampant on their campuses, ends for good. There is no other acceptable alternative for Stone or our family.”
“After 15 months of work, investigation, and most of all pain and anguish for Stone’s family, we are pleased that closure for them and for the community has begun,” Dobson said. “We and the family have agreed that jail time for many of these defendants was appropriate both for their participation in this incident and for the larger message that must be sent regarding the senseless tragedy that has too often come from hazing. We also want to acknowledge the hard work of the Bowling Green Police Department which in large part resulted in these pleas and sentences.
“We are thankful for the cooperation and support of the administration of Bowling Green State University, as well as all of the community partners, throughout this case. But most of all – and over and over again – we want to thank the Foltz family, including Stone’s aunt, all of whom have never failed to move and humble us with their dignity and grace, including their comments during the sentencings today.
“They are truly the best of people.”
