This LSU Student Has Been Charged with Felony Hazing

3 years ago, 18-year-old LSU student Maxwell Gruver died from an alcohol-related hazing ritual while pledging to a fraternity in Baton Rouge.  In that case, a student was charged and convicted in connection to the incident and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.  That incident convinced lawmakers to make the penalty for leading someone down this dangerous path simply to join a sorority or fraternity much more severe.  Measures making this type of hazing a felony were signed into Louisiana law in 2018.

Now, another alleged hazing incident at LSU is bringing that law to bear on 21-year old Phi Kappa Psi member Terry Pat Reynolds II.  Reynolds was arrested and charged with 13 counts of hazing after police say he forced new members to drink so much it endangered their lives and left on pledge in the hospital on life support.

According to a report from the Mercury News, police responding to a call from the Baton Rouge General Medical Center on October 19 after a freshman pledge was dumped at the hospital with an astonishing blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.45 by "a group of males later identified as Phi Kappa Psi members."  According to the police affidavit filed in the incident, the patient was suffering from severe alcohol poisoning, and was unresponsive.   The unnamed student was placed on life support as a result.

An investigation was launched, and officials discovered that Reynolds was the “new member educator,” responsible for leading the new pledges down the path of full-fledged brotherhood in Phi Kappa Psi.  Investigators believe that he had given these potential members multiple bottles and cans of alcohol and, according to the arrest details: "...would not let them leave until they finished."

In total, Terry Pat Reynolds II has been charged with 1 count of felony hazing, 12 counts of misdemeanor hazing, and 1 count of failure to seek assistance.  He was released Monday on a $13,500 bond.  The felony hazing charge could get him 5 years in prison if convicted.  Each of the misdemeanor charges could tack on one thousand dollars and/or additional prison time (up to 6 months).