[DeltAlum]

Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 23:21:28 -0700
From: Fraternity/Sorority Newsclips <doug.case@sdsu.edu>
Subject: Toxicology report concludes UNR student who drowned was drinking

The Sagebrush
University of Nevada, Reno
October 22, 2002

Toxicology report concludes Santos was drinking
By Samantha Fredrickson
Albert Jerome Refuerzo Santos was drinking the night he drowned in
Manzanita Lake, according to the toxicology report issued last week.
But it is unsure whether the amount of alcohol in his blood had a
strong affect on him.

Lt. Marc Conley said Santos' blood alcohol level was .06 - lower than
the .10 legal limit.

"Alcohol effects different people in different ways," Conley said.
"I've seen people at .06 who have showed signs of being grossly
intoxicated. But I've also seen people at .06 who weren't affected at
all by the alcohol."

Conley said he did not know Santos' alcohol tolerance so he could not
guess how big of a role alcohol played in his death.

"It's still kind of early to make any judgments," he said.

Santos, an 18-year-old freshman biology major from Las Vegas, drowned
in Manzanita Lake the morning of Oct. 10 after swimming with a group
of men from the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

ASUN is holding a memorial for Santos Wednesday evening at 7:30 in
front of Getchell Library.

Tya Mathis, vice president for programming, said the ceremony will be
brief and counselors will be available to students afterward.

"It was a tragic death for all students," Mathis said. "ASUN wanted
to give students time to mourn."

President John Lilley and ASUN President Alicia Lerud will speak
during the ceremony, which will also include a song and a moment of
silence.

"We've never had one (a memorial) before," Mathis said. "We're urging
students to come out."

UNRPD is still investigating Santos' death and hopes to be finished
by the end of this week. They are still waiting for the final autopsy
report from the coroner, which Conley said he hopes will be finished
soon so the police can conclude their investigation.

It still has not been determined whether or not the incident was
hazing or if it is a criminal investigation.

When UNRPD finishes the case it will be turned over to the Washoe
County District Attorney for review.

John Helzer, assistant district attorney, said his office will
determine whether criminal charges need to be initiated. If charges
were to be issued against anyone, it would be up to UNRPD to prove
what happened that night, Conley said.

The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity chapter at Nevada is still temporarily
suspended during the investigation of Santos'death.