Northern Colorado Delt Brother dies
 

Greeley police said Thursday they are likely to file charges next week in connection with the death of 19-year-old Ross Higuchi, the student who jumped from the balcony of a fraternity house last week and later died from head injuries.

Greeley detectives are trying to track the alcohol that was brought to the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house, 11th Avenue and 16th Street last Friday night. Early Saturday morning, police said Higuchi was drunk when he argued with others at the party about some damage he had done, then he leaped from the second-story balcony.

The Weld County Coroner’s Office said this week the autopsy of Higuchi showed he had massive head injuries from the fall.

Greeley police spokesman Sgt. Joe Tymkowych said police will likely file charges against someone next week, after they consult with the Weld District Attorney’s office about what charges will be brought.

The University of Northern Colorado students have had a candlelight vigil for Higuchi, signs and flowers cover the front porch of the fraternity house, and some sorority members were out on campus with signs Thursday afternoon, which said “Honk for Ross.”

On the Team Higuchi Facebook page, the family said this week that the funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 9203 S. University Blvd., in Highlands Ranch.

Higuchi grew up in the Denver area and attended Smoky Hill High School. He was a freshman at UNC, majoring in Sport and Exercise Science, and was initiated into Delta Tau Delta fraternity last fall.


(From Greeley Tribune: www.greeleytribune.com)

The Executive Vice President (CEO) of the Fraternity happened to be in Colorado for an alumni chapter dinner last Tuesday. He, and other local alumni and advisors, spent time at both the University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State chapters over the weekend.

As is often the case, there are questions and much speculation about how this happened.

I would anticipate that the Central Office and Arch Chapter will work with the local police and university on the investigation and will not comment until the investigation is complete.

I was, at one point, an assistant advisor for the UNC Chapter and later Division Vice President for UNC and CSU. At that time I received a lot of Risk Management information, and a very common cause of death and injury in Greek houses is falls from high places, most often alcohol related.

This is a tragic situation in more ways than one.

I posted this earlier.
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=119456
I put it under Greek Life because of the investigation still going on.

Update:

An ABC affiliate has the following update on its site at:

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news...47/detail.html

Excerpt:

The Weld County District Attorney's Office filed one count of providing alcohol to a minor -- a class one misdemeanor -- against Kyle Riley on Friday.

Ross Higuchi, 18, of Aurora, suffered severe head trauma and never regained consciousness after jumping off a second-story balcony at the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house during a post-initiation party on April 16. . . .