Hazing Victim’s Family, University Agree on $3 Million Lawsuit Settlement

The family of an Ohio college student who died from alcohol poisoning in a fraternity Stone hazing incident in 2021 has settled a lawsuit with the school.

Bowling Green State University will pay Stone Foltz’s family nearly $3 million in what the family attorney called “the largest payout by a public university in a hazing case in Ohio history,” WBNS reported.

Part of the settlement includes an agreement for the university and the family to work toward eliminating hazing on college campuses.

Foltz, 20, died on March 7, 2021, three days after he told his mother he was participating in an off-campus “drinking ritual” at the fraternity he was pledging — Pi Kappa Alpha — as CrimeOnline previously reported. Fraternity members dropped him off at his apartment at about 11:30 p.m. that night, and his roommate later called 911 when he saw Foltz was unresponsive.

The settlement announced this week is on top more than $7 million from the fraternity and eight members who had a role in the hazing incident. The eight former members of the fraternity either pleaded guilty or were found guilty of multiple charges, although two of them were acquitted last year on the more serious charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless homicide. Their attorneys argued that Foltz voluntarily participated the hazing, which required him to drink an entire bottle of alcohol.

The Lucas County Coroner ruled that Foltz’s death was accidental.

“It is my opinion that Stone Foltz died of fatal ethanol intoxication during a hazing incident,” Dr. Diane Scala-Barnett wrote. “Manner of death: Accident – College fraternity induction ritual.”

Pi Kappa Alpha was permanently expelled from the Bowling Green campus after the incident.

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[Featured image: Stone Foltz/Facebook]