Loveland man pleads guilty to charges related to hazing death of BGSU student
A Loveland man pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges related to the hazing death of 20-year-old Bowling Green State University student Stone Foltz, according to his attorney.
Aaron Lehane, 21, of Loveland pleaded to eight misdemeanor counts of hazing, one count of violating laws regarding underage consumption and one count of obstructing official business, according to Enquirer media partner Fox19.
Mark Krumbein, Lehane's attorney, confirmed the guilty plea was entered Thursday afternoon in Wood County Common Pleas Court. He couldn't provide additional information regarding the plea agreement.
The Wood County Prosecutor's Office has yet to respond to a message from The Enquirer seeking comment.
Lehane was one of eight students indicted in April in connection with Foltz's death.
Six of those were indicted on involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault charges. Lehane and one other student were not charged with those more serious offenses.
Lehane was indicted on one felony count – tampering with evidence – and another 16 misdemeanors. He pleaded the felony down to an amended count of obstructing justice, Fox19 reported.
Prosecutors have accused Lehane of participating in the hazing of at least six other people in addition to Foltz. He was also accused of allowing seven different underage people to drink, the youngest being 19, according to court documents.
Lehane graduated from Archbishop Moeller High School in 2018, according to school officials.
Foltz, a 2019 graduate of Buckeye Valley High School in Delaware County's Troy Township, was hospitalized March 5 after he consumed what his family's attorney said was "a copious amount of alcohol."
On the night of March 4, BGSU's chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity held its traditional “Big Brother Night.” The event, common in fraternities around this time of year, involves pledges being introduced to the active fraternity member who will serve as their mentor or “big brother.”
It was at that event that Foltz and other pledges were forced to drink a handle of hard liquor, equivalent to about 40 shots, as part of an initiation into the fraternity.
Foltz was dropped off that night at his apartment by members of the fraternity. His roommate found him half an hour later unconscious and called 911.
Lehane's sentencing hearing is scheduled for February, Krumbein told The Enquirer.
Enquirer media partner Fox19 contributed to this report. The Enquirer will update this story as more information becomes available.