2 men get 6 weeks in jail in hazing death of BGSU student Stone Foltz

Two former fraternity members at Bowling Green State University each were sentenced Wednesday to six weeks in jail for their roles in the 2021 hazing death of 20-year-old Stone Foltz.

Troy Henricksen, 24, of Grove City, received 42 days in jail and 28 days of house arrest on charges of hazing and failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, the Associated Press reports. Jacob Krinn, 21, of Delaware, Ohio, received the same sentence on charges of obstruction of official business, hazing and failure to comply.

Henricksen and Krinn were acquitted in May of more serious charges, including involuntary manslaughter and reckless homicide.

“The young men convicted in Stone’s death now have to face the consequences of their actions,” said Foltz’s parents, Cory and Shari Foltz, in a statement released by their lawyers. “What they did was cruel, senseless, and destructive — to their lives and ours — and it wasn’t done in secret.”

On March 4, 2021, Foltz attended a Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity event at an off-campus location, authorities say. Anyone pledging the fraternity had to drink a “handle” of liquor, which is about 40 1.5 ounce shots.

Foltz was taken back to his house after the event and his roommates found him unconscious the following morning. He was first taken to Wood County Hospital in Bowling Green, then flown to ProMedica Toledo Hospital. He died three days later after he was put on life support and his family arranged to have his organs donated.

Several fraternity members were criminally charged for their roles  in Foltz’s death, including a Cleveland Heights resident. Some were sentenced to jail terms of between seven and 28 days, and all were ordered to spend 28 days on house arrest.

The university permanently banned the fraternity in April 2021. Three students were expelled and 18 others were suspended.

Foltz’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in June against BGSU over their son’s death. The university said in June that Foltz’s death is a tragedy but argues the lawsuit is “meritless” and could hinder efforts to end hazing, the AP reports.

“The two young men sentenced today, plus the six others sentenced in June, were acting within a system created for them by adults — and only the adults can eradicate hazing for good,” lawyers Rex Elliott and Sean Alto said in a statement. “This means principally the universities that harbor these organizations on their campuses. Until universities start actively enforcing policies that prevent hazing on their campuses, more young lives will regrettably be lost.”