Chico State Near Death from Alcohol Poisoning: Charges Filed

[editorial changes May 2, 2005--better indication of block quotes & adding warning material]

Kevin Hallmeyer* was in charge of the Sigma Chi pledge week activites, so he bought two "handles" of vodka for the pledges.  Richard Amador, wanting to prove that he was worthy, poured down a huge amount of vodka, and became comatose.   He didn't die because another Sigma Chi brother realized Amador was close to death, and rushed him to the hospital. 

Now Hallmeyer (the Sigma Chi house manager)  will be charged with a misdemeanor.

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This post is part of a series about people dying in preventable ways.  Specifically, it is about deaths from alcohol poisoning: people drinking so much that they die.  The teen myth seems to be that the risk is from choking on vomit.  It isn't. 2005 underage alcohol poisoning deaths 2004 underage alcohhol poisoning deaths *Maybe Hallmeyer's email address, chicobeerman, should have been a clue to his brothers....
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Charges sought in alcohol poisoning February 02, 2005

[with comments by me]

The Chico State student who supplied a Sigma Chi pledge with alcohol Jan. 20 has been put up for expulsion from the fraternity, and the Butte County district attorney plans to bring charges.  District Attorney Mike Ramsey said if convicted, senior Kevin Hallmeyer could get a misdemeanor and be fined $3,000 for providing alcohol to a minor. Ramsey said he expects to file charges by Friday.

Sigma Chi headquarters will review Hallmeyer's involvement before expelling him, Sigma Chi President Blake Peltz said.  The Chico State chapter will also be reviewed by the national organization Saturday, Peltz said. The chapter's charter is suspended pending the investigation.

Chico police Sgt. Dave Barrow said Hallmeyer provided two 1.75-liter handles of alcohol to the pledges as part of an initiation-week activity he was in charge of.  As interim vice president, Barrow said, Hallmeyer was responsible for the pledges when Peltz was gone.

Nineteen-year-old Richard Amador started drinking poor-quality vodka

[what, like drinking better vodka would have made a difference?] 

with his pledge brothers about 6 p.m., Peltz said. He lost consciousness between 8 and 8:30 p.m. from a 0.496 blood alcohol content.  Although all of the pledges were drinking, Peltz said Amador has a small build and was the only one with alcohol poisoning.

"I guess he just pounded it," Peltz said.

[ No sheee, Sherlock.  For example, one estimator more-or-less calculated that Amador would have to have swallowed about 22 ounces (almost 3 cups) of vodka to achieve a BAC of .496.   Another says the rule of thumb is .02 BAC per 1.25 ounce "drink", so Amador would have ingested 24 drinks, or 30 ounces.  Of course, speed of intake isn't included in the estimates.  Each "handle" of 1.75 liters is about 58 ounces, or about 47 standard "drinks" of 1.25 ounces) )

After drinking for less than two hours, Peltz said Amador couldn't throw up. "His gag reflex just stopped working," Peltz said.

[No, he was too impaired to vomit, or the amount of alcohol he had ingested, together with the speed at which he poured it down, overcame the vomit reflex.  One wonders if a beer bong was in evidence.]

The alcohol sat in Amador's blood until he was taken to Enloe Medical Center.

[ No, Amador continued to become more and more intoxicated as he metabolized the drug, alcohol, he had already ingested]

Peltz said many people get alcohol poisoning because the party atmosphere in Chico leads to binge drinking.  "It's the culture up here," Peltz said.

[If you would like to urge a change in culture, you can contact the president of the university:

Paul J. Zingg, University President
University  Advancement and Student Affairs
California State  University, Chico
400 West First Street
Chico, CA 95929-0125
530-898-6131

The current alcohol policy sounds good, but clearly isn't having sufficient impact.]

Christina Chavira of Enloe Medical Center said about 15 people go to Enloe each week with severe intoxication ranging from 0.10 to 0.30 blood alcohol content. Most people are 19 to 24 years old and come in on weekend nights.

Thursday about 14 people came to Enloe with severe intoxication. She said it is hard to define alcohol poisoning because people respond differently to alcohol "But," Chavira said, "anything in the fours and fives is unusual."

Peltz said the community has been supportive. He said he wants to teach people what to do if they see alcohol poisoning.  Rather than rush members, the fraternity plans to sponsor a CPR clinic to teach about alcohol poisoning.

[It isn't clear to me how heavy drinkers, such as the Sigma Chi brothers [at Chico], sponsoring a class in CardioPulmonary Resuscitation is going to persuade fellow college students that consuming alcohol in excessive quantities is a bad idea.  And all the CPR in the world is unlikely to save a kid whose blood alcohol is incompatible with life. ]

People who have had too much alcohol need to be taken to the hospital. He said many people worry about the cost of emergency care or what punishments may come from it. But it's more important to be safe.

"It just isn't worth the risk," Peltz said.  It took a few days for Peltz to realize that he saved Amador's life, Peltz said, while other people may not have known what to do. "I'm able to lay my head down at night."

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Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing, the heartbeat and the gag reflex that prevents choking. A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these functions. After the victim stops drinking, the heart keeps beating, and the alcohol in the stomach continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate through the system. The victim may experience the following:

• Mental confusion, stupor, coma, unable to rouse the person
• No response to pinching the skin
• Vomiting while sleeping or unresponsive
• Seizures
• Slowed breathing  (fewer than 8 breaths per minute)
• Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
• Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness

Alcohol Poisoning Requires Immediate Medical Attention

Alcohol Poisoning Cannot Be Reversed By:

• Drinking black coffee
• Taking a cold bath or shower
• Walking it off

The victim must have immediate medical attention.
Call 911, stay with the victim to prevent him choking on vomit, and tell emergency personnel how much alcohol the victim drank.

These Children Died of Alcohol Overdose, So Their Parents Started Foundations:

Taylor Webster's memorial foundation.  Taylor died of alcohol  poisoning at age 19-- Now his family and friends are working  to get the message out, telling their stories and providing  information on alcohol poisoning and the signs and symtoms  of alcohol poisoning in hopes that lives will be saved.

Bradley McCue's memorial foundation.  On November 5, 1998  Bradley turned 21. . He celebrated  his birthday in a way that has become increasingly popular, drinking "his  age in shots". That amount of alcohol was lethal and he died  that night of alcohol poisoning.

Samantha Spady's memorial foundation. A 19-year old student at Colorado State University, Spady died of alcohol poisoning on September 5, 2004, "an unintentional tragedy."  The Spadys say the SAM [Student Alcohol Management] Spady Foundation will develop peer-to-peer counseling and other services meant to reduce the risk of alcohol abuse.

Gordie Bailey's memorial foundation Mission: to provide today’s youth with the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, and through education and promotion of self worth prevent alcohol poisoning, binge drinking and hazing. 

Kimberly Ostien's memorial foundation: "With binge drinking on the rise, we feel it necessary to get the message out on the danger of alcohol, especially excessive alcohol consumed in a short period of time.  Students are educated on drugs and alcohol but they will continue to experiment no matter what.  We want to educate on what to do when a friend falls down or passes out from drinking.  Often we want to put that person to bed to sleep it off and that is when the trouble can begin."  The card lists the information, above.

Comments

[Kris]

I have to say that as a Chico State Grad (class of '90), I did not see any difference between the amount or intesity of partying there than at any of the other universities that I visited during those years. When I started Chico State in the fall of '87, it was the year that Playboy labeled Chico State the #1 party school in the nation. That same year, and over the next several years, I spent weekends at UC Davis, Cal Poly SLO, UNLV, LMU (a CATHOLIC school), San Diego State, and UCLA. Each one of those schools had a similar atmosphere when it came to partying.

In my experience, since the Playboy designation as the #1 party school back in '87, Chico State has been under the microscope for alcohol related issues. Don't get me wrong, I think that this is a good thing, but it pains me to see Chico singled out. It makes this problem appear to be worse there than anywhere, and I have a hard time believing that. Now, no doubt there are groups of people who enroll at Chico State each year because of the school's reputation, but I don't think that it is perpetuated by the University itself. It is a shame, because I got a GREAT education there, and I think that people tend to discount it as credible place to learn because of the media attention to the partying.

All of that being said, I think that making people aware of the dangers and of the carelessness that often accompanies drinking (especially with young people) is a noble deed. Thank you for keeping this issue in YOUR headlines. Constant reminders are the most effective.

[someone in the know]

Why would you reduce yourself and your website to slamming students? You think that this instance of minors being supplied with alcohol is isolated? Uncommon even? That student that supplied alcohol to the pledge was not even there when he drank it. Know the facts before you reduce yourself to slander and speculation.

[liz]

Dear "Someone In the Know" -- why wouldn't you sign your real name? --

""Libel" involves the publishing of a falsehood that harms someone. Slander is the same doctrine applied to the spoken word. Collectively, they are referred to as "defamation". Both are a matter of state laws, which usually (not always) require that the falsehood be intentional.

It is a fact that Mr. Hallmeyer purchased alcohol for minors to consume. That's against the law, no matter how common it is.

This section of this blog is about kids killing themselves with booze. It is unnecessary, this binging. The culture of "taking your liquor like a man" is also unneccessary.

It isn't necessary for the purveyor to be present to be charged.

Student pleads not guilty in alcohol overdose

By TERRY VAU DELL - Staff Writer

OROVILLE - As Chico State University is pondering what action it will take, a fraternity member was in court Monday facing criminal charges in connection with the alcohol overdose of an underage pledge.

Kevin Hallmeyer, 21, pleaded not guilty in Butte County Superior Court to 10 misdemeanor counts of furnishing alcohol to minors, which could carry up to one year in jail.

The Chico State senior is accused of supplying vodka to 10 underage pledges at the Sigma Chi fraternity house Jan. 20.

A Butte College pledge, Richard Amador, 19, passed out after reportedly "chugging" a large quantity of the alcohol. He survived after being rushed to the hospital with a reported 0.496 percent blood-alcohol level - about six times the legal limit.

Criminal proceedings against Hallmeyer were postponed two weeks so his lawyer can discuss a possible settlement with the district attorney.

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The Chico State student said he is now actively trying to use his own experience to promote a greater awareness of alcohol abuse on campus.

Sigma Chi, the fraternity involved in the near-fatal alcohol consumption, is currently under suspension pending the outcome of an investigation - expected to be concluded within the next few weeks - by the university.

Because of two recent unrelated high-profile fraternity deaths, the university could take harsher measures than it might normally, said Rick Rees, Associate Director of Student Activities.

Rees said Monday that Sigma Chi could face anything from probation to loss of its local and national fraternity recognition and that any individual fraternity members, including Hallmeyer, found liable for giving alcohol to minors could face a simple reprimand to suspension or even expulsion from the university.

Less than two weeks after the alcohol overdose, Matthew Carrington, 21, a Chico State business major, died during an alleged water-hazing ritual while pledging Chi Tau, a Chico fraternity that had lost its charter in 2001 for repeated alcohol violations.

Eight Chi Tau members have been charged with criminal hazing and four are also facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with Carrington's death.

In October 2000, a Chico State freshman, Adrian Heideman, 18, died after he choked on his own vomit after drinking a bottle of blackberry brandy during a pledge initiation for the now-abolished Pi Kappa Phi fraternity in Chico.

District Attorney Mike Ramsey has said that unlike the two fraternity deaths, the non-fatal alcohol overdose in January did not appear to be part of an initiation ceremony.

And, unlike Heideman, who had allegedly been left in a basement room alone to die, when Amador passed out, he was taken to the hospital by Sigma Chi's president and Hallmeyer, the student accused of buying the alcohol that night.

Outside of court Monday, Hallmeyer's attorney, Bill Portanova of Sacramento, said he hopes to meet with the local district attorney to resolve the case against his client quickly.

"Kevin is a good kid ... He wants to take responsibility and hopefully some good will come of this."

Hallmeyer is helping to organize an alcohol awareness program on campus dubbed "Lifesavers 2005," possibly during "Greek Week" later this month, to try to get underage students not to drink and adult students to drink responsibly and "look out for their friends."

He plans to talk to students about the sobering effect his own experience has had on his life.

"College is a time to be curious and to learn, but not about the inside of a hospital," observed the accused fraternity member outside of court Monday.

[Joe]

As a member of a social fraternity at a small school in Missouri, I must say I'm slightly put off by your generalization of the 'heavy drinkers' that you seem to be calling all members of Sigma Chi (and note, I am NOT a Sigma Chi). I am not a heavy drinker. I do drink, as do most--but not all--members of my fraternity, but we do so in moderation. We have never had a member suffer alcohol poisoning, and hopefully never will. And while I do agree with your statement that the notion of 'taking your liquor like a man' is stupid, saying that kids are 'killing themselves' with alcohol isn't fair either--some of us like to drink now and then because we enjoy it. Not everyone goes out and gets completely obliterated so they don't remember their evening, even though I know it happens. And, by the way, your snide comments added into the informative article really make you look bad--and I'm not talking about the statistical points you bring up to clarify the physiological effects of alcohol--so why don't you let people read and judge for themselves?

[Megan]

I think it's unfair to target just these Chico students. As a teen who grew up in Chico now attending CSU Fresno, I must tell you that these problems are everywhere.
Also, the fact that supplying minors with alcohol is illegal is a moot point. Jaywalking is illegal. In Chico, bowling on the sidewalk is illegal. Parking more than 18 inches away from the sidewalk is illegal. The real travesty here is the blatant lack of respect for alcohol shown by these students. Alcohol is something to be enjoyed in moderation, not consumed in excessive quantities.
And while I will admit that CPR will not svae the life of a person with a BAC of .496, the article noted that the fraternity will be using the clinic to teach people about alcohol poisoning. This will likely be more effective than the dogmatic conemnation of alcohol consumption by authority figures in the community.