Trial for defendants in hazing death set to begin in May

Wood County Courthouse

The trial for the six remaining defendants in the hazing death of BGSU student Stone Foltz has been set for May 16 through June 3.

The six defendants are Benjamin Boyers, 22, of Sylvania; Jacob Krinn, 20, of Delaware; Troy Henricksen, 23, of Grove City; Daylen Dunson, 20, of Cleveland; Canyon Caldwell, 21, of Dublin, and Jarrett Prizel, 19, of Olean, N.Y.

Wood County Prosecutor said five of the defendants were indicted at the same time, so they can all be tried together. 

Boyers, however, was indicted later, and the prosecutor must get permission to have him included in the trial for the other five. Boyers’ attorney is objecting. His attorney though was part of the conference setting the new trail date. The trial was originally set to begin in January.

The six face charges related to the death of Foltz, who allegedly died from alcohol poisoning stemming from hazing by members of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Foltz, who was pledging to the fraternity, was allegedly coerced into drinking a full bottle of whiskey during a Big/Little event on March 4, and then dropped off at his off-campus residence where he was found unconscious by his roommates.

He was first transported to Wood County Hospital and then transferred to Toledo Hospital. He died of alcohol poisoning on March 7 after being on life support to facilitate the donation of his organs.

Eight members of the fraternity were indicted in the incident. Two have subsequently pleaded guilty to reduced charges and are awaiting sentencing. The sentencing for Niall Sweeney, 21, of Erie, Pennsylvania, and Aaron Lehane, of Loveland, is pending their cooperation with the prosecution.

[READ RELATED STORY: Students charged in BGSU hazing case plead not guilty to all charges at arraignment]