Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Students charged in friend's death after prank goes horribly wrong
By Erin Wood
The Bradley Scout (Bradley U.)
09/09/2007

(U-WIRE) PEORIA, Ill. — Three Bradley students are scheduled to appear in court Thursday, facing charges for the death of fellow soccer teammate and friend, Sheridan "Danny" Dahlquist.

Dahlquist, a Bradley sophomore, died during the early morning of Aug. 12 after he was trapped in his room with a fire caused by a firework prank gone awry.

An autopsy showed the cause of death to be carbon monoxide poisoning, Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll said.

David Crady, Nicholas Mentgen, Ryan Johnson and Illinois Central College student Daniel Cox are charged with two counts of aggravated arson and one count of possession of an explosive or incendiary device. Each charge carries a prison term of up to 30 years. Probation is not an option for the arson counts.

Prosecutor Larry Evans said the four men had been drinking prior to placing and lighting a Roman candle under Dahlquist's door, according to the Journal Star. The first one was a dud, so the men lit two more and ran from the house, Evans said.

The men expected the prank to end with Dahlquist running from the house in his underwear.

However, when the men saw a blaze coming from Dahlquist's bedroom window, Evans said they re-entered the house and tried to open Dahlquist's door, but the heat was too great. Mentgen was hoisted onto the roof to open the window, but it was also too hot.

Dahlquist was later found near his window, showing that he may have tried to escape before he died.

Crady, Mentgen and Bradley student Travis English were arrested at the house. English was later released when it was determined that he had been asleep during the prank, according to the Journal Star.

Cox was arrested at the house later, but Johnson fled shortly after the fire started, Peoria County State's Attorney Kevin Lyons said. Johnson turned himself in after his attorney contacted Lyons' office.

He said the fire met the legal criteria for first-degree murder, but Lyons chose the lesser charges because the men didn't mean to cause "catastrophic harm" to Dahlquist, according to the Journal Star.

The four men were released from the Peoria County Jail when each posted $50,000 bail, 10 percent of their $500,000 bond.

Johnson resigned from the soccer team, but the statement from the university said Crady and Mentgen "will remain for an indefinite period as inactive members of the intercollegiate athletic program concerning all athletically related activities."

Crady, Mentgen and Johnson enrolled in fall semester classes. A statement released by the university said they were permitted to do so because the school is "following its published policies and procedures."

If actions are brought against a student, the Student Judicial Board must notify that student and give him or her sufficient time to prepare.

If the student pleads not guilty, he or she can decide to have the case heard by Nathan Thomas, the executive director of Residential Life and Leadership, by another Bradley faculty member or by the university's five-person arbitration board, comprised of three students voted on by Senate and two faculty members.

If the student pleads guilty or is found guilty, he or she chooses to receive punishment from Thomas or the arbitration board.

If an incident happens during summer but isn't heard until school starts, the same guidelines and choices apply. So Crady, Mentgen and Johnson will follow the same process as if the situation happened during the school year.

Alan Galsky, the associate provost of Academic Affairs, said the university follows the same procedures for every case.

"We have to follow the same process every time," he said. "It's really critical."

However, punishments vary from case to case, and occasionally the arbitration board must "determine whether or not the student should remain a student," he said.

Galsky said the state or federal government doesn't usually affect the university's proceedings, if the student is also being charged on that level.

The Public Relations Department hasn't released further information about the procedures for this particular case.

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