Father sues West Virginia fraternity after his son, 22, was left brain damaged when he fell down stairs at a party and fellow revelers posed for selfies and poured ketchup on him before they called 911
- David Rusko, 22, was left paralyzed when he fell down stairs at a Sigma Alpha Epsilon frat party in November 2018
- Fellow revelers reportedly left the West Virginia University student unconscious for two hours before they called an ambulance
- Rusko’s father has now filed a lawsuit against the fraternity, accusing them of violating college rules as well as their own code of conduct
- Rusko has brain damage and now requires 24-hour nursing
- His father is seeking compensation for medical care as well as punitive damages
The father of a West Virginia University student is suing a fraternity house after his son was left brain damaged during one of its parties.
David Rusko Sr. filed the lawsuit on Wednesday, eight months after 22-year-old David Rusko Jr. was left paralyzed when he fell down stairs at a Sigma Alpha Epsilon gathering.
The suit says fraternity brothers posed with Rusko Jr.’s unconscious body, squirted ketchup on him and posted pictures on social media instead of hailing an ambulance.
By the time 911 was called two hours later, the college senior was reportedly bleeding from the nose, foaming at the mouth and his brain wasn’t getting enough oxygen.
Rusko Jr., who hails from Uniontown, Pennsylvania, is now permanently paralyzed and needs 24-hour nursing. His father is seeking compensation for a lifetime of medical care.
The lawsuit claims Sigma Alpha Epsilo ‘repeatedly violated’ college rules and its own code of conduct by serving alcohol to minors and holding unregistered social functions.
David Rusko Jr. was left permanently paralyzed when he fell down stairs at a Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity party last November
The lawsuit claims Sigma Alpha Epsilo ‘repeatedly violated’ college rules and its own code of conduct by serving alcohol to minors and holding unregistered social functions
According to CBS 42, the suit alleges that the frat house had unsafe conditions including ‘including steep, narrow stairs without a handrail’.
In addition to the fraternity, the lawsuit lists more than a dozen students and the frat’s house mother as defendants.
The tragic incident involving Rusko Jr. occurred inside on the evening of November 10, 2018.
The finance major took a tumble down the staircase and fell unconscious.
His fellow club-members didn’t take immediate action, reportedly waiting two hours to call an ambulance.
After the authorities were finally called, Rusko Jr. was rushed to Ruby Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The school felt compelled to issue individual interim suspensions and place the whole SAE chapter on suspension following the incident.
‘We are a family here at West Virginia University. I am deeply disappointed in the apparent actions and inactions of these students, and the decisions that were made,’ Dean of Students Corey Farris said at the time.
A vigil was held for Rusko at the school on November 12 as he remained in hospital. He is now paralyzed and requires 24-hour care
A vigil was held for Rusko at the school on November 12 ad he remained in hospital with injuries.
Meanwhile, the Greek fraternity system has been a problem for West Virginia University.
President Gordon Gee cracked down on behavior at the university after a Nolan Burch, an 18-year-old freshman, died in 2014 after a fraternity hazing incident where he drank nearly an entire bottle of alcohol and passed out, according to WKBW.
Rusko was a finance major in his senior year at West Virginia University. He is pictured second from right