In November 2017, we reported on the death of Andrew Coffey, a 20-year-old Florida State University student who was found dead at a party due to alcohol poisoning.
Coffey, from Pompano Beach, was found on the morning of Friday, November 3 at 10:23 AM EST after the Tallahassee Police Department received a call about an unresponsive person at a home on Buena Vista Drive. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Now, almost four months after the death of their son, Coffey’s parents are suing the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, Thomas and Sandra Coffey are suing the Pi Kappa Phi’s national chapter and the nine fraternity members who were charged with criminal hazing after Coffey’s death. The nine students who were charged are Luke Kluttz, Clayton Muehlstein, Brett Birmingham, Conner Ravelo, Christopher Hamlin, Anthony Petagine, Anthony Oppenheimer, John Ray and Kyle Bauer.
The suit was filed in Leon County’s circuit court.
via Fox News:
Miami lawyer David Bianchi, who is representing the family, said the suit does not specify an amount that they are seeking in damages. He also said that the university is not among the parties being sued even though the chapter adviser is employed by Florida State and is included.
“The university did not do anything wrong. They are just as upset as everyone else,” Bianchi said. “We sued those who had a role in Andrew’s death.”
The state medical examiner said Coffey had a blood alcohol level of .447 at the time of the autopsy. The 20-year old junior drank a lethal amount of bourbon and malt liquor at the fraternity’s “Big Brother Night” party, which was held at an off-campus home. The lawsuit does include the two people who rented the home to the fraternity.
Coffey was a civil engineering student who graduated from Pompano High School in 2015.
