Felony hazing charges filed against two former University of Missouri frat members
Two former members of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at the University of Missouri-Columbia are facing felony charges for their alleged roles in a hazing incident last fall that resulted in significant brain damage to a freshman pledge.
A Boone County grand jury on Friday indicted Ryan Patrick Delanty, of Ballwin, Missouri, and Thomas Andrew Shultz, of Chesterfield, Missouri, on one count each felony hazing and misdemeanor supplying alcohol to a minor or intoxicated person, according to court documents.
Shultz also faces an additional felony charge of tampering with evidence in a felony prosecution.
His attorney, Brent Haden of the Columbia law firm of Haden & Colbert, said they were analyzing the charges and planning a vigorous defense.
The attorney representing Delanty was not immediately available to comment.
The two are the latest fraternity members to face criminal charges in the incident. Earlier this month, Alec Bradley Wetzler, of St. Louis, was charged with supplying alcohol to a minor and possession of alcohol by a minor, both misdemeanors.
The incident involves a pledge, 19-year-old Daniel Santulli, who was allegedly pressured to drink a full bottle of vodka during “Pledge Dad Reveal Night” the evening of Oct. 19.
Delanty was Santulli’s “pledge dad” and Shultz was vice president and treasurer of the fraternity, which was also known as Figi, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune.
Santulli passed out sometime before midnight, according to a lawsuit filed by his family in January. A fraternity member found him partially on a couch about midnight. Santulli had pale skin and blue lips.
He was driven to a hospital and when hospital staff went to the car, they found Santulli wasn’t breathing and he was in cardiac arrest, according to the lawsuit.
After using CPR to restart his heart, he was rushed to intensive care and placed on a ventilator. A blood test revealed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.468 — more than five times over the legal limit, according to the lawsuit. He suffered significant brain damage and is unable to communicate.
The fraternity was found responsible for multiple violations of MU’s Standard Code of Conduct and the university withdrew recognition of the chapter of as a student organization and the fraternity house was closed.
Last month, the University of Missouri Office of Student Accountability and Support sanctioned 13 fraternity members over the incident.
Because of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, the university says it is prevented from releasing details about the disciplinary decision. The sanctions, however, can include suspension or expulsion.
“Safety of the Mizzou community is our highest priority, and we must address alcohol use and other concerns in holistic ways to provide education and services that work together to support safer behavior and an overall culture,” Mun Choi, University of Missouri president said in an news release at the time of the sanctions. “In our conversation with student leaders, they are 100% with us in making our campus even safer for everyone, but there is continued work to do.”
After a settlement was reached with his family, around 20 defendants have been dismissed from the lawsuit the family brought. The case is still pending with other defendants.
This story was originally published June 22, 2022 at 1:25 PM.
