Third student jailed in FSU alcohol fatality

By David Enders

Daily Staff Reporter

A third Ferris State University student was sentenced Monday in the drinking-related death of an FSU freshman last year.

Nineteen-year-old Stephen Petz of Gaylord died from alcohol poisoning March 15 after drinking at an off-campus apartment, which served as a house for the underground fraternity called the Knights of College Lore or the Knights of College Leadership.

In June, Ferris State student Erik Bannister, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor, a misdemeanor. Monday he received a sentence of 45 days in jail, 120 hours of community service and $2,060 in fines. He is the third to be sentenced of six people charged.

The drinking was apparently part of initiation activities for the fraternity. Petz's blood alcohol content was .42. Brad McCue, the Michigan State University student who died in 1998 after drinking 22 shots, had a blood alcohol level of .44. Fraternity members took Petz to the hospital the morning after the drinking, when they were unable to wake him.

Twenty-three-year-old Christopher Tabachki and 22-year-old Joshua Gardner, both of Big Rapids, are awaiting a judge's decision on whether to move their trials to from the 49th District Court to 77th District Court, according to the Mecosta County Prosecutor's office.

Tabachki is charged with involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy to furnish alcohol to a minor and furnishing alcohol to a minor. Gardner is charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor causing death, conspiracy to furnish a minor with alcohol and furnishing alcohol to a minor.

Already sentenced on similar charges are 20-year-old Robert Markjha of Southgate and 19-year-old Barry Bradley of Flushing. Markjha received 10 months in prison, 36 months of probation and $1,500 in fines. Barry was sentenced to six months in prison, 36 months of probation and $1,000 in fines.

Twenty-one-year-old Mitch Swoish is awaiting sentencing after being convicted of one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor causing death.

No court dates have been set for any of these proceedings.

Ferris State spokeswoman Christine Williams said the university has had little to do with the investigation except for readmitting one of the students this semester after he appealed the court's decision.

Williams said the student agreed to strict regulations and is volunteering to help with the university's drinking awareness programs. The incident prompted Ferris State to offer new drinking awareness programs to its students, including programs for all incoming students.