Another ex-student charged in death

Another former Bowling Green State University fraternity member was indicted Wednesday on charges related to the hazing death of Stone Foltz.

Benjamin Boyers, 22, of Sylvania, was charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, felony tampering with evidence, eights counts of misdemeanor hazing, and seven counts of misdemeanor failure to comply with underage drinking laws.

Boyers was initially indicted in April on several misdemeanor charges, but Wood County Prosecutor Paul Dobson dismissed the charges shortly after.

In a Thursday press release, Dobson said his office received more information about Boyers’ alleged involvement in Foltz’s death. Dobson presented his case again to a grand jury on Wednesday, and Boyers was indicted once more.

“As with the other defendants in this case, we are obligated to go where we believe the evidence took us,” Dobson said in a press release. “It is the duty of the prosecutor’s office to bring justice to this incident, as much closure and comfort as can be given to the family of Stone Foltz, and above all be fair and firm on our prosecution of the case.”

Each felony carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison. A first-degree misdemeanor has a maximum of six months in jail, and a fourth-degree misdemeanor has a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail.

Seven other men face indictments

Seven other individuals were indicted in April with Boyers. Their indictments are as follows:

h Jacob Krinn, 20, of Delaware, charged with first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, felonious assault, hazing, failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, and obstructing official business;

h Troy Henricksen, 23, of Grove City, charged with third-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, eight counts of hazing, and seven counts of failure to comply with underage alcohol laws;

h Canyon Caldwell, 21, of Dublin, charged with third-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, eight counts of hazing, seven counts of failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, and obstructing official business;

h Daylen Dunson, 20, of Cleveland, charged with third-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, eight counts of hazing, seven counts of failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, and obstructing official business;

h Niall Sweeney, 21, of Erie, Pennsylvania, charged with third-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, eight counts of hazing, seven counts of failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, and obstructing official business;

h Jarrett Prizel, 19, of Olean, New York, charged with third-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, eight counts of hazing, and seven counts of failure to comply with underage alcohol laws;

h Aaron Lehane, 21, of Loveland, charged with tampering with evidence, eight counts of hazing, seven counts of failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, and obstructing official business

Foltz, 20, a 2019 graduate of Buckeye Valley High School in Delaware County’s Troy Township, was hospitalized March 5 after he consumed what his family’s attorney said was “a copious amount of alcohol.”

Earlier on March 4, BGSU’S chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, where Foltz was rushing, held its traditional “Big Brother Night.” The event, common in fraternities around that time of year, involves pledges being newly initiated into the fraternity and introduced to the active fraternity member who will serve as their mentor or “big brother.”

It was at that event that Foltz and other pledges were forced to drink the equivalent of about 40 shots of hard liquor as part of an initiation into the fraternity, according to authorities. He died on March 7 at a Toledo hospital of fatal alcohol intoxication.

Rex Elliot and Sean Alto, attorneys for the Foltz family, said in a statement that they and the family are grateful for the level of accountability taken by prosecutors in investigating Stone’s death.

“The hazing death of Stone Foltz reveals the abuse that takes place at colleges and universities across the county and the extent individuals and organizations will go to cover up their actions,” they wrote. “It’s a despicable cycle that will continue to happen until we hold people who haze accountable and institutions take action to eradicate hazing for good.”

Boyers’ attorney could not be immediately reached for comment. shendrix@dispatch.com @sheridan120

PERMISSION PHOTO USED WITH Stone Foltz, 20, died March 7 after a hazing incident at Bowling Green State University.