4 fraternity members at San Diego State College are going through felony fees after a pledge was set on fireplace throughout a skit at a celebration final yr, leaving him hospitalized for weeks with third-degree burns, prosecutors stated Monday.
The hearth occurred on Feb. 17, 2024, when the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity held a big social gathering at its home, regardless of being on probation, court docket paperwork present. Whereas underneath probation, the fraternity was required to “display exemplary compliance with college insurance policies,” in response to the school’s tips.
As an alternative, prosecutors stated, the fraternity members deliberate a skit throughout which a pledge can be set on fireplace.
After ingesting alcohol within the presence of the fraternity president, Caden Cooper, 22, the three youthful males — Christopher Serrano, 20, and Lars Larsen, 19, each pledges, and Lucas Cowling, 20 — then carried out the skit, prosecutors stated.
Mr. Larsen was set on fireplace and wounded, prosecutors stated, forcing him to spend weeks within the hospital for therapy of third-degree burns overlaying 16 p.c of his physique, totally on his legs.
The fees towards Mr. Cooper, Mr. Cowling and Mr. Serrano embody recklessly inflicting a hearth with nice bodily harm; conspiracy to commit an act injurious to the general public; and violating the social host ordinance. If convicted of all the fees, they might face a sentence of probation as much as seven years, two months in jail.
Mr. Larsen himself was charged. The San Diego County District Lawyer’s workplace stated that he, in addition to Mr. Cooper and Mr. Cowling, additionally tried to deceive investigators within the case, deleted proof on social media, and informed different fraternity members to destroy proof and never communicate to anybody about what occurred on the social gathering.
All 4 males have pleaded not responsible.
Attorneys representing Mr. Cooper and Mr. Cowling didn’t instantly reply to messages requesting touch upon Tuesday. Contact info for attorneys for Mr. Serrano and Mr. Larsen was not instantly accessible.
The 4 college students had been launched on Monday, however the court docket ordered them to not take part in any fraternity events, to not take part in any recruitment occasions for the fraternity, and to obey all legal guidelines, together with these associated to alcohol consumption.
The college stated Tuesday that it might start its personal administrative investigation into the conduct of the scholars and the fraternity, now that the police investigation was full.
After it confirmed the small print, the dean of scholars workplace instantly put the Phi Kappa Psi chapter on interim suspension, which stays in impact, faculty officers confirmed on Tuesday.
Further motion was taken, however the workplace stated it couldn’t reveal specifics due to scholar privateness legal guidelines.
“The college prioritizes the well being and security of our campus neighborhood,” faculty officers stated in an announcement, “and has excessive expectations for a way all members of the college neighborhood, together with college students, behave within the curiosity of particular person and neighborhood security and well-being.”
Not less than half a dozen fraternities at San Diego State College have been placed on probation within the final two years, officers stated.
