A former pledge master at a Northern Arizona University fraternity was sentenced Wednesday to two months in jail and three years of supervised probation for his role in a hazing ritual that killed an 18-year-old pledge.
Carter Eslick, 20, had pleaded guilty to a felony hazing charge in Coconino County Superior Court stemming from the Jan. 31 death of Colin Daniel Martinez at an off-campus house connected to Delta Tau Delta.
An autopsy determined Martinez died of alcohol poisoning, with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.425% โ more than five times the legal driving limit for Arizonans 21 and older. Court documents state Martinez was one of four pledges who shared two bottles of vodka as part of a ritual intended to make them vomit. Witnesses told investigators they repeatedly repositioned Martinez as he slept and checked his pulse and breathing overnight, apparently monitoring him for signs of alcohol poisoning rather than seeking emergency help.
Eslick, who served as the fraternity’s pledge master and was tasked with overseeing new members, addressed Martinez’s family directly at sentencing. “I take full responsibility for the hand I played in that ritual,” he said.
Martinez’s parents joined the hearing remotely and told Phoenix TV station azfamily.com they want accountability and systemic reform of Greek life organizations.
Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker acknowledged the sentence does not repair the loss to the family. “My hope is that this case helps people understand the serious dangers of hazing and encourages them to speak up and intervene before another family experiences this kind of loss,” Barker said in a statement.
Judge Stacy Krueger, who handed down the sentence, said Eslick understood the danger of what he was doing and expressed concern that nobody present that night intervened.
Under the terms of his probation, Eslick must deliver 305 anti-hazing presentations and report his progress to the court. He is barred from using alcohol or drugs except as prescribed, and faces additional jail time if he violates the conditions.
Northern Arizona University suspended the Delta Tau Delta chapter following Martinez’s death, and the fraternity’s national organization has since shut down the NAU chapter entirely.
My last salary was $8750, ecom only worked 12 hours a week. My longtime neighbor yr estimated $15,000 and works about 20 hours for seven days. I can’t believe how blunt he was when I looked up his information,
This is what I do….. ๐๐๐ฎ๐ผ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ข๐๐ญ.๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ