2 deputies hurt at Texas State fraternity party
By Roger Croteau
San Antonio Express-News
Web Posted : 09/17/2003 12:00 AM
SAN MARCOS — Two deputies were injured while trying to shut down a fraternity party near San Marcos early Saturday morning.
It was the first major alcohol-related incident involving a fraternity at Texas State University-San Marcos, formerly Southwest Texas State University, since all 12 were suspended in February 1999.
Several students were issued citations for underage drinking. One was charged with aggravated assault of a peace officer, and another with evading detention, as members of the Hays County Alcohol Enforcement Team tried to shut down the Sigma Nu fraternity party on Edgemont Street on Saturday.
Deputies were first called to a house at about 11:30 p.m. Friday. About 150 people were attending the party for new Sigma Nu's members, and deputies say they were assured it would be shut down
Deputies were called back to the house at 12:44 a.m. Saturday and found the party had grown to about 300 people.
As deputies began identifying underage drinkers and trying to find the person in charge, they were confronted by a large group, Hays County sheriff's Sgt. Allen Bridges said.
Two deputies were assaulted. One suffered a cracked rib and the other an injured shoulder when he was struck by a flying beer bottle.
Parker Nicholson, 20, was charged Saturday with aggravated assault of a peace officer and is free on $5,000 bond.
Luke Curry, 20, was released on a personal recognizance bond after his arrest on a charge of evading detention.
Bridges said the incident still is being investigated, and more arrests are expected.
The university placed the fraternity on interim suspension Monday, pending an investigation.
Punishment could range from suspension to banishment as a student organization, university spokesman Mark Hendricks said.
The incident was an unwelcome reminder of the school's "party school" reputation, which university officials have worked hard to leave behind.
The school has raised admission standards several times and invested in new facilities. Even the recent name change was designed to give the school a more prestigious reputation.
"Something like this can't help but rekindle that kind of talk," Hendricks said.
He said this was the first major alcohol-related incident involving a campus fraternity since February 1999, after a particularly raucous "Bid Night," when fraternities accept new members.
On that night, Tau Kappa Epsilon member Nicholas Armstrong was beaten to death as he slept on a sofa after a party had broken up. The main suspect, a nonstudent thrown out of the party earlier that night, committed suicide during the investigation.
Also that night, one student was hospitalized with alcohol poisoning and six others were arrested on alcohol and hazing charges.
The university responded by suspending all 12 campus fraternities and making them accept several conditions, including a switch to alcohol-free fraternity houses, before they were re-admitted as campus organizations.
Friday's Sigma Nu party was not at the fraternity house and did not violate the alcohol-free housing rule.
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