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Accident not linked to school, UGA says
By KELLY SIMMONS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
University of Georgia officials said Monday that there was no sign that an automobile accident that left one student in critical condition was the result of a fraternity prank or connected to any university event.
Travis F. Starr III, of Martinez, was in the neurological intensive care unit of the University Hospital in Augusta on Monday, hospital spokeswoman Rebecca Sylvester said. She would not disclose the nature of his injuries.
Diane Starr, Travis' mother, declined to comment on her son's condition, but said, "We're glad he's with us and doing OK."
According to the police report, Starr was injured around 2:15 a.m. Thursday when he was thrown from the bed of a pickup truck driven by UGA freshman Brett Alan Steele. The report states that Steele took Starr home after the accident and did not seek medial help. Starr, Steele and two other students riding in the truck are members of Lambda Chi fraternity.
Athens-Clarke County police spokeswoman Hilda Sorrow said it could be later this week before investigators determine whether charges would be filed in connection with the accident.
"There are still a number of people who need to be interviewed," she said.
Claudia Shamp, associate dean of Greek Life at UGA, said her office had looked into the incident and determined that it was not related to any university-sanctioned social activity and that it did not involve the initiation of new fraternity members. There was nothing to indicate underage drinking contributed to the accident, she said.
"In this particular case there are no red flags at all," Shamp said. "We really saw nothing that would raise an eyebrow."
Lambda Chi president Tyler Reams said Monday that Starr was awake and talking following the accident and did not want medical treatment.
"He was saying, 'I'm all right, I don't need to go to the hospital,'" Reams said.
Two of the students stayed with Starr overnight and other friends came by to check on him the next day, Reams said. They decided to take him to the hospital when he became unresponsive, Reams said.