The Wood County Prosecutor's Office re-indicted a northwest Ohio man on more serious charges stemming from the hazing death of Stone Foltz.
Benjamin Boyers, 22 of Sylvania, was indicted in April on misdemeanor charges, which were later dropped. On Thursday, Wood County Prosecutor Paul Dobson announced Boyers has been indicted on one count of third-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, one count of third-degree felony tampering with evidence, eight counts of hazing and seven counts of failure to comply with underage alcohol laws.
If convicted on all charges, Boyers faces up to six years in prison.
In a news release, Dobson said new information regarding Boyers' involvement led to him presenting the case again to the grand jury.
Foltz, who graduated from Buckeye Valley in Delaware County, was found unresponsive March 4 inside his apartment by his roommate. An investigation determined he was involved in an alcohol-related hazing incident earlier that night at the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
The roommate performed CPR until EMS arrived. The 20-year-old was taken to the Wood County Hospital and later to Toledo Hospital, where he died on March 7.
The coroner said Foltz died of fatal ethanol intoxication. His blood alcohol content, or BAC, was 0.394, according to the family, who said it was likely even higher immediately after the alleged hazing ritual.
In April, seven other defendants were charged:
- Jacob Krinn, 20, of Delaware; pleaded not guilty to all charges.
- Daylen Dunson, 21, of Cleveland; pleaded not guilty to all charges.
- Troy Henricksen, 23 of Grove City; pleaded not guilty to all charges.
- Canyon Caldwell, 21 of Dublin; pleaded not guilty to all charges.
- Niall Sweeney, 21 of Erie, Pennsylvania; pleaded not guilty to all charges.
- Jarrett Prizel, 19 of Olean, New York; pleaded not guilty to all charges.
- Aaron Lehane, 21 of Loveland; pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Boyers' next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 10.
In July, BGSU permanently expelled three students and suspended 17 others for their role in the incident.
