Jury selection begins today in the trial of two men accused of causing the hazing death of Bowling Green State University student Stone Foltz.
Jacob Krinn and Troy Henricksen are charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of the sophomore after a fraternity initiation party in March 2021.
“We are confident in our case, as we have been from the beginning,” Wood County Prosecutor Paul Dobson said in an email Thursday. “We continue to prepare to the best of our abilities.”
Six men also indicted in the case have accepted plea agreements with the understanding they testify for the prosecution.
“It’s been 14 months since Stone died from hazing and our lives will never be the same,” said Shari and Cory Foltz in a Friday statement. “Every time we return to Bowling Green’s campus, we’re forced to relive our nightmare.
“But we continue to put our anguish aside and make the journey so the people responsible for Stone’s death are held accountable. Hazing is a crime and we have complete faith that the Wood County prosecutor will continue to get justice for Stone.”
Phi Kappa Alpha hosted an off-campus new member initiation March 4, 2021, where current members – Big Brothers – were assigned to new members – Little Brothers.
Dobson has previously outlined what the state believes happened that night.
As part of the event, the new members, who were all underage, were provided with a bottle of liquor. They were told the tradition of the chapter was the entire bottle had to be consumed at the event.
Foltz was one of the Little Brothers. Krinn was his Big Brother.
Foltz consumed a 1-liter bottle of bourbon before being taken home by several fraternity members, including Krinn.
He was reportedly left alone in his apartment and was found by his roommate. After observing Foltz for a time and calling for aid from friends, they called 911. When paramedics arrived, the roommate was administering CPR.
Foltz, 20, of Delaware, was taken to Wood County Hospital and then Toledo Hospital, where he died March 7.
His blood alcohol level was 0.35 and the autopsy determined he died of alcohol intoxication.
During pleas of the other six men, it was determined several had provided misinformation to the police and disposed of evidence in an effort to protect themselves and other members.
Krinn, 21, Delaware, has been indicted for first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter; third-degree felony involuntary manslaughter; third-degree reckless homicide; felonious assault, a second-degree felony; one count hazing, a fourth-degree misdemeanor; one count failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, an unclassified misdemeanor; and obstructing official business, a second-degree misdemeanor.
The first-degree manslaughter charge reflects the allegation that Krinn caused Foltz’s death as a result of committing a felony. The state is alleging that felony was felonious assault.
The first-degree manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 11 years in prison.
If Krinn is found guilty on all charges, he faces a maximum 19 years in prison.
Troy Henricksen, 24, Grove City, was indicted for felony involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, tampering with evidence, eight counts hazing and seven counts failure to comply with underage alcohol laws.
The multiple felony charges facing Krinn and Henricksen are to give options to a jury, Dobson said earlier in the case.
Daylen Dunson, 22, Cleveland Heights, has pleaded guilty to reckless homicide, tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, obstructing official business, eight counts of misdemeanor hazing and seven counts regarding providing alcohol to underage persons.
Dunson was the president of the BGSU chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha in the spring of 2021. He attended the initiation event as president, talked to the new members and took part in photographs.
According to Dobson, when police interviewed Dunson, he provided false information about his whereabouts and whether a fraternity event had happened that night. He also told others to lie about the existence of the event. He deleted social media and told others to do the same in an attempt to get rid of evidence before police could find it, Dobson said at Dunson’s plea hearing.
Canyon Caldwell, 22, Dublin, has pleaded guilty to eight counts of hazing and obstructing justice.
The night of the party, Caldwell cleaned up the evidence of the event and put it in garbage bags and placed those bags in the basement knowing that another roommate, Benjamin Boyers, was coming in the morning to remove the bags and dispose of them elsewhere.
Boyers, 22, Sylvania, has pleaded guilty to reckless homicide, obstructing justice and eight counts hazing.
Jarrett Prizel, 20, Olean, New York, has pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and eight counts of misdemeanor hazing.
Niall Sweeney, 22, Erie, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence, and one count hazing.
Aaron Lehane, 22, Bowling Green, has pleaded guilty to obstructing justice, obstructing official business, eight counts of hazing, and one count failure to comply with underage alcohol laws.
While Lehane was not a member of the fraternity, he was a member of the household and took steps to prevent law enforcement from conducting their investigation into the event.
“We are pleased that six men have taken responsibility for their part in the tragic death of Stone Foltz and will do all we can to ensure that the remaining two are brought to justice,” Dobson said.
All pleas have included the commitment of these men to testify in any trials based on this incident, Dobson said.
