Hazing: An Update
Since our original post on hazing, we continue to read reports centering on hazing in the media, and unfortunately, the reports are all too often tied to Ohio.
Hazing: An Update
Since our original post on hazing, we continue to read reports centering on hazing in the media, and unfortunately, the reports are all too often tied to Ohio.
First, 10TV reported on 04/15/2019 that an Ohio wrestling coach is facing criminal charges in connection with an incident that occurred during a June 2018 wrestling camp. According to the City of Franklin Police Division in Warren County, a wrestling coach associated with the Ohio All Stars Wrestling Team is alleged to have “failed to stop” a hazing incident involving a 14-year old. The 14-year old called his parents to pick him up from the camp during a practice, and the coach has been charged with both child endangering and hazing.
Meanwhile, also on 04/15/2019, The University of Dayton’s Flyer News reported that a transfer student, Josh Kurczewski, planned to pledge Alpha Phi Omega. While not newsworthy in any other circumstance, Kurczewski was previously a student at Penn State University and was one of three former Beta Theta Pi members sentenced to jail time after pleading guilty in connection with the 2017 death of Timothy Piazza. Piazza died from traumatic brain injuries two days following a fall down a flight of stairs at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity pledge acceptance ceremony called “The Gauntlet.”
As one might imagine, the Flyer News article report reflects curiosity “about the circumstances of Kurczewski’s admission to [University of Dayton] and if he will face disciplinary action from the university in light of his sentencing.” (If you’re wondering, UD administration didn’t reveal much in the way of answers. Kurczewski ultimately decided to withdraw his pledge to Alpha Phi Omega.)
If you have questions about civil liability in the wake of a hazing incident, please revisit our original post on hazing. And, of course, if you or a family member has suffered harm as a result of a hazing incident, please call our team at Beausay & Nichols to see if we can help. For additional resources, visit hazingprevention.org.
