A freshman at the State University of New York at Oneonta died early Saturday morning from a fatal combination of drugs and alcohol.
Daniel William Michaels, 18, was pledging Alpha Pi, a fraternity unrecognized by SUNY Oneonta.
He had attended an off-campus party at the fraternity Friday night when he was found slumped over a couch shortly after midnight.
Daniel William Michaels, 18, died Saturday morning after attending a house party at SUNY Oneonta
A group of students saw Michaels and called 911, but he was transported to a nearby hospital by a private vehicle, according to the Daily Star.
He was in cardiac arrest by the time he arrived and died a short time later.
A preliminary toxicology report showed that Michaels had a mix of amphetamines, benzodiazepines and alcohol in his system, according to Otsego County Coroner Terry Knapp.
He was pledging an unrecognized Greek fraternity, Alpha Pi (pictured), and had amphetamines, benzodiazepines and alcohol in his system
Michaels graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills, Long Island. He was studying business economics
However, Knapp said that Michaels had a relatively small amount of alcohol in his system, below the legal limit. A full toxicology report will be available in four to six weeks.
Michaels graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills, Long Island. He was studying business economics.
‘Oneonta considers the students part of the community, and the loss of an 18-year-old member of the community is really heart-wrenching for everyone,’ Oneonta Police Chief Douglas Brenner said to the Daily Star.
This is not the first time tragedy has struck the Michaels family. Daniel Michaels’ twin brother Justin was killed in 2004 after a cheery tree fell on him at day camp when he was just four years old.
A GoFundMe page has been launched to create a scholarship in Michaels’ name. It has raised over $17,000 as of Tuesday morning.