Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
2 area men charged in hazing death
Brendan Young and Nicholas Kubera are among 18 defendants charged in the death of Timothy Piazza
Eighteen members of the nowshuttered Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Penn State University face charges in connection with the Feb. 4 death of sophomore Timothy Piazza of Lebanon, New Jersey.
Two are from Chester County: Brendan Young Jr., 21, of Malvern, a junior majoring in enterprise risk management, who was the president of Beta Theta Pi; and Nicholas Kubera, 19, of Downingtown, a freshman at the university.
Eight, including Young and Kubera, face the most serious charge of aggravated assault, a felony that carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison. They also are charged with involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor punishable by 2 1/2 to 5 years in prison.
Piazza consumed what prosecutors said was a life-threatening amount of alcohol during a hazing ritual on Feb. 2 in State College, Centre County, and fell
down stairs at least twice during the course of the night. His fraternity brothers did not call an ambulance until the next morning. Prosecutors said the actions by some of them may have worsened his injuries and suffering. He died of a traumatic brain injury.
The students have not entered pleas, and most of their attorneys have not yet commented.
An attorney for one fraternity brother charged with aggravated assault said that prosecutors wrongly assume that the students should have been able to tell the difference between extreme intoxication and a life-threatening head injury.
The defendants, and their charges, according to court documents:
Young: Aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangerment, evidence tampering, hazing, alcohol-related charges.
Kubera: Aggravated assault,
involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangerment, hazing, alcohol-related charges.
Daniel Casey, 19, of Ronkonkoma, New York: Aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangerment, evidence tampering, hazing, alcohol-related charges. (His attorney, Steven Trialonas of State College, told Newsday: “The government assumes that these young men, many of whom were intoxicated themselves, should have been able to differentiate symptoms of extreme intoxication from symptoms of a life threatening head injury. That is an impossible burden to place on them.”)
Jonah Neuman, 19, of Nashville, Tennessee: Aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangerment, hazing, disorderly conduct, alcohol-related charges.
Michael Bonatucci, 19, of Woodstock, Georgia: Aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangerment, hazing, alcohol-related charges.
Gary Dibileo, 21, of Scranton, Lackawanna County: Aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangerment, hazing, alcohol-related charges.
Luke Visser, 19, of Encinitas, California: Aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangerment, hazing, alcohol-related charges.
Joseph Sala, 19, of Erie, Erie County: Aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangerment, hazing and alcohol-related charges.
Michael Schiavone, 21, of Yardley, Bucks County: Reckless endangerment, hazing and alcohol-related charges.
Parker Yochim, 19, of Waterford, Erie County: Reckless endangerment, hazing, alcohol-related charges.
Craig Heimer, 21, of Port Matilda, Centre County: Reckless endangerment, hazing, alcohol-related charges.
Lars Kenyon, 19, of Barrington, Rhode Island: Reckless endangerment, hazing, alcohol-related charges.
Edward Gilmartin, 20, of Scranton, Lackawanna County: Evidence tampering.
Ryan McCann, 22, of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County: Evidence tampering.
Lucas Rockwell, 21, of Washington, D.C.: Evidence tampering.
Braxton Becker, 20, of Niskayuna, New York: Evidence tampering.
Ryan Foster, 21, of Bedford, Massachusetts: Evidence tampering.
Joseph Ems Jr., 20, of Philadelphia: Reckless endangerment. (His attorney, William Brennan of Philadelphia, called what happened a tragedy, and said: “I think as the facts shake out, my client hopefully will be in a position to be extricated from this troubling case.”)