Power Hour = death at Moorhead PSK

[hoosier]

Police report details death of Reinhardt: Unexpected late rush caught bar in Moorhead off guard
By Amy Dalrymple, The Forum
Published Saturday, May 01, 2004

The night Jason Reinhardt drank himself to death, he left the bar under his own power, says a Moorhead police report released Friday.


The report provides new details of the March 15 death of the former Minnesota State University Moorhead student.

It also confirms earlier statements from Coach's Sports Bar and Pub owner Kent Tweten that no patrons needed help walking when leaving that night.

On Tuesday, Clay County Attorney Lisa Borgen said she declined to prosecute anyone who contributed to Reinhardt's death. She called his actions clearly voluntary.

Reinhardt was found dead at Moorhead's Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity house with a blood-alcohol concentration of .363 percent.

Friends told police Reinhardt consumed 15 drinks during the first hour of his 21st birthday. He was participating in "power hour," a ritual in which those celebrating their 21st birthday try to down 21 shots the first hour they are of legal age to drink.


Roommate Brad Schwartz told police Reinhardt intended to drink 21 shots but was unable to do it before the bar closed that night.

But another friend, Billy Gierszewski, told police he did not think Reinhardt wanted to drink 21 shots.

Reinhardt did not drink alcohol before or after his power hour, friends told police.

About 7:30 the night before his birthday, Reinhardt returned to the fraternity house after doing laundry at his mother's house, Schwartz told police.

Reinhardt watched TV with friends until about 11:30 p.m., when they made plans to go to Coach's, the report said.

Schwartz and Reinhardt left at 11:50 p.m., picked up another friend and then joined five other friends already seated at a round table on Coach's main floor, Schwartz told police.

Reinhardt bought a Colorado Bulldog, a mixed drink that he consumed while friends bought him shots, Schwartz said. Their table was near the bar, so friends purchased the drinks directly from the bartender and not from a waitress, Gierszewski said.

Police found a receipt from 12:14 a.m. indicating Reinhardt withdrew $20 at a Coach's ATM.

Schwartz said Reinhardt appeared to be enjoying himself. The friend described him as being more loud as the night progressed.

Tweten told police business that Sunday night was slower than usual, so he sent one employee home early.

But several groups came in soon after to celebrate power hours, leaving the remaining workers busy, said Samantha Ritchie, who worked as a waitress that night.

Ritchie told police she cautioned another 21-year-old to slow down and brought him water to dilute the alcohol. She did not serve Reinhardt, but said Friday she thinks other servers would have issued similar warnings to customers.

Reinhardt did not need assistance when he left Coach's at closing time, 1 a.m. that night, friends said.

On the way home, Reinhardt requested they stop to buy Mountain Dew. They returned to the fraternity house at 1:30 a.m. Reinhardt brought in a backpack from his car containing alcohol, the report said.

Still, Schwartz said no one consumed alcohol when they returned. After Reinhardt said he was "passing out," Schwartz brought him a bucket and a jug of water and checked on him at 2:10 a.m.

David Bullinger checked on his friend at 4 a.m. and asked how he was doing. Reinhardt told him he was all right, the police report said.

Bullinger went into Reinhardt's room again shortly before 1 p.m. because they arranged to eat lunch together.

He found Reinhardt face down in his bed, still wearing his clothes and shoes, with vomit in his bed. Bullinger immediately called 911.

During their investigation, Moorhead police obtained evidence from Reinhardt's bedroom, including a white napkin with a list of alcoholic drinks. Police also developed photos from the camera Reinhardt used that night.

Friends described Reinhardt as a "weekend social drinker" who preferred mixed drinks over beer, the report said.

Several of Reinhardt's friends contacted Friday did not want to comment on the report.

Since his death, Reinhardt's mom, Anne Buchanan, has chosen to educate young people about the dangers of alcohol.

Buchanan, of Fargo, has plans to speak at schools and recently joined a community coalition to make bars more responsible, she said Friday.

She has kept in touch with members of her son's fraternity.

"I have a lot of compassion for those kids," Buchanan said. "It's painful what they have to live with."