The last of the former or current Ohio University students charged in connection to the hazing-related death of Collin Wiant have entered guilty pleas in the case.
Wiant, a freshman from Dublin, died at the off-campus house of the Sigma Pi fraternity on Nov. 12, 2018.
A coroner ruled Wiant died from asphyxiation due to nitrous oxide ingestion.
On Wednesday, the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office announced 21-year-old Joshua Androsac and 23-year-old Corbin Gustafson entered guilty pleas in connection to Wiant’s death.
Androsac pled guilty to permitting drugs abuse, two counts of trafficking in harmful intoxicants, trafficking in cocaine, hazing and negligent homicide.
He was ordered to serve 70 days in jail for the misdemeanor offenses. His remaining charges are suspended pending the completion of a drug and alcohol diversion program.
Gustafson entered a guilty plea to complicity to permitting drug abuse. He was ordered to complete the diversion program.
The following individuals previously entered pleas related to Wiant’s death:
- Zachary Herskovitz – Permitting drug abuse, hazing (ordered to complete diversion program)
- Dominic Figliola – Permitting drug abuse, hazing, aggravated tracking of drugs and failure to comply with underage alcohol laws (ordered to complete diversion program, complete one year of non-reporting probation)
- Cullen McLaughlin – Trafficking in LSD, possession of LSD (ordered to complete diversion program)
- Saxon Angell-Perez – Permitting drug abuse, hazing and trafficking in cocaine (ordered to complete diversion program, complete one year of non-reporting probation)
- Elijah Wahbi – Obstructing justice, permitting drug abuse and hazing (ordered to complete diversion program, sentenced to 31 days in jail for misdemeanors)
The case involving James Wanke, the owner of the Silver Serpent, is still pending. He is charged with involuntary manslaughter, trafficking in harmful intoxicants, and improperly dispensing or distributing nitrious oxide.
An employee of the Silver Serpent, Stephan Lewis, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to trafficking in harmful intoxicants and improperly dispensing or distributing nitrous oxide.
Currently, the crime of hazing in Ohio is a misdemeanor. Collin’s Law aims to make hazing a felony and proposes to make the act of not reporting known hazing a prosecutable crime.
