UNH fraternity suspended in alcohol incident

DURHAM – A University of New Hampshire fraternity has been suspended and seven of its members charged with alcohol possession after two of its brothers had to be hospitalized for alcohol poisoning this weekend in an incident police said could have been fatal.

Phi Mu Delta has been suspended by UNH as well as by its national parent organization for an incident early Saturday morning. The fraternity had been on probation during the spring semester for violating UNH alcohol policy and all brothers had to undergo a "risk-assessment workshop."

Last weekend's incident marks the second time in less than a week that a UNH fraternity has been suspended over allegations of criminal activity. The first was last Tuesday, when police raided the Sigma Beta fraternity in a drug bust that netted nine brothers.

In the most recent incident, a police officer on Madbury Road was approached and told about 12:45 a.m. Saturday that several people in the Phi Mu Delta frat house at 21 Madbury Road had alcohol poisoning. Officers responded and took two teens to Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, where they were treated and released later in the weekend.

"I don't think it's a large leap to say that this person who contacted this officer may have saved these kids' lives," Durham Police Chief David Kurz said yesterday.

Police later arrested and charged seven fraternity brothers, including the two that were hospitalized, with unlawful/internal possession of alcohol. All were later released on $500 personal recognizance bail.

The fraternity itself is expected to face charges of facilitating an underage drinking party and individual members could be charged as well, Durham Deputy Chief Rene Kelley said. He also said police are looking into possible hazing charges. Both the charges are misdemeanors.

The seven -- all UNH students -- had just been offered bids to join the fraternity and were part of a gathering at the house that included outside people, Kelley said, though he declined to go into detail. UNH said in a statement that the fraternity's president and other executive officers were all there during the incident.

UNH has suspended the fraternity on an interim basis, meaning all its rights as a student group are revoked. The fraternity won't be able to use any UNH facilities or participate in any university events.

The fraternity's parent organization has also suspended the local chapter and launched an internal investigation that may, as a worst punishment, lead to the closure of the Durham chapter, Phi Mu Delta Executive Director Tom Murphy said.

"Basically if the chapter is not living up to the values and purpose of the organization, we close it," he said. "We obviously are incredibly concerned that two men were transported for alcohol poisoning; that would not be congruent with our values as an organization."

Murphy said the Durham chapter, founded in 1918 as one of the fraternity's first, was shut down in the early 1980s for 14 years. He refused to say why the chapter was closed, but said it reopened in 1995.

A message left at the fraternity was not returned yesterday.

Phi Mu Delta was previously placed on probation for a semester in 2007 related to a "breach of peace," likely for being too noisy. In 2002, the fraternity was also pegged for infractions including violating the alcohol and hosting policies. In that instance, all alcohol was banned from the house for a year and no gatherings were allowed there for two years.

The Phi Mu Delta arrests come after a drug raid at the Sigma Beta frat house last week. Nine fraternity brothers were arrested on charges ranging from manufacturing drugs to the sale and possession of drugs, as well as unlawful possession of alcohol. More charges are anticipated in that case as well.

Police declined to identify which two among the seven arrested this weekend had alcohol poisoning. Those who were charged include: Bryan Hogan, 18, of Somersworth; Jesse Fand, 18, of Meredith; Matthew Jacobson, 18, of Somersworth; Paul Couture, 18, of Beverly, Mass.; David Mofford, 19, of Waitsfield, Vt.; Nicholas Dellacava, 18, of Derry; and Nicholas Balatsus, 19, of Manchester.

Each is to be arraigned Nov. 6 at 8:30 a.m. in Durham District Court.