2 frat members face felony charges in alleged hazing incident that left pledge blind

BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (TCD) -- Two former Phi Gamma Delta members face felony charges after a hazing incident left a pledge blind and unresponsive.

According to the Columbia Missourian, in October 2021, University of Missouri student Daniel Santulli was found unresponsive due to severe alcohol poisoning. He reportedly had a blood alcohol content level of .486, which is six times the legal limit.

The family’s lawyer told the Columbia Daily Tribune Santulli suffered massive brain damage and is blind and unable to communicate because of the incident.

Santulli’s "pledge father," Ryan Delanty, allegedly forced Santulli to drink the alcohol, and he had a 750-milliliter bottle of Tito’s vodka taped to his hand. Video of the incident was reportedly recovered by authorities.

In May, Santulli’s family settled with 23 defendants in a civil lawsuit, the Columbia Missourian reports.

Thomas Shultz, the fraternity’s vice president and treasurer, allegedly concealed text messages from authorities.

Both Delanty and Shultz were recently indicted by a Boone County grand jury on hazing charges for life endangerment, which is a felony under the Missouri anti-hazing statute, according to the Columbia Missourian. The two were also reportedly charged with supplying liquor to a minor or intoxicated person, a misdemeanor.

On June 2, Alec Wetzler, another fraternity member, was allegedly charged with supplying liquor to a minor or intoxicated person and the purchase/attempt to purchase or possession of liquor by a minor, both misdemeanors. Wetzler and another member, Samuel Gandhi, have reportedly been added to the civil lawsuit.

MORE: