WOOD COUNTY, Ohio — One of the men charged in the alleged hazing death of Bowling Green State University student Stone Foltz has agreed to a plea deal of felony tampering with evidence and hazing.
Niall Sweeney, 21, was initially charged with third-degree involuntary manslaughter, hazing, failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, and obstructing official business in connection to Foltz’s death.
The agreement, made in a Wood County court on Thursday, allows Sweeney to be found guilty of felony tampering with evidence and hazing. In exchange, all other charges will be dropped.
Foltz, 20, of Delaware County, died on March 7, days after an alleged hazing involving alcohol at a Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity event off-campus on March 4.
Sweeney was one of seven men charged in his death.
Below is how each defendant pleaded and the conditions of their bond:
- Jacob Krinn, 20, of Delaware pleaded not guilty to charges of Involuntary manslaughter, Felonious assault, Reckless homicide, and Obstructing official business.
- Daylen Dunson, 20, of Cleveland pleaded not guilty to all counts of Involuntary manslaughter, Tampering with evidence, Obstructing justice, Obstructing official business, Hazing.
- Troy Henricksen, 23, of Grove City pleaded not guilty to all counts of Involuntary manslaughter, Reckless homicide, Tampering with evidence, and Hazing.
- Jarrett Prizel, 19, of Olean, New York pleaded not guilty to all counts of Involuntary manslaughter and Hazing.
- Canyon Caldwell, 21, of Dublin entered a non guilty plea on all counts of Involuntary manslaughter, Tampering with evidence, Obstructing official business and Hazing.
- Aaron Lehane, 21, of Loveland pleaded not guilty to charges of Tampering with evidence, Obstructing official business and Hazing.
Rex Elliott and Sean Alto, the attorney’s for Foltz’s family, responded to the plea deal on Thursday, saying:
“Mr. Sweeney’s guilty plea sends a strong message that any act of hazing will not be tolerated in this great State. While his plea can’t bring Stone Foltz back, his family prays that days like this and those to come will go a long way toward ending the decades-long culture of hazing on all college campuses.”