LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Following the death of University of Kentucky student Thomas "Lofton" Hazelwood in October, UK began two investigations—one by UK Office of Student Conduct and the other by UK Police.
The two investigations concluded that it does not appear that new members were coerced, forced, or required to consume alcohol Oct. 18 in the FarmHouse chapter facility. There was at least one new member present in the room who was not consuming any amount of alcohol during the incident that occurred in the chapter facility.
According to the report, Hazelwood was described as consuming approximately eighteen (18) one-ounce shots of Wild Turkey 101 bourbon within approximately 45 minutes.
Multiple students stated in the interviews that Hazelwood was obviously heavily intoxicated as the group practiced for serenades at sorority houses, but the group decided to leave Hazelwood at the fraternity house because they believed he had not reached a level they considered dangerous.
The students stated that they rolled him on to his side, and one student stated in an interview that he “didn’t think he was in that bad of shape” and that placing Hazelwood on his side was “just precautionary.”
Later that evening, a student arrived at FarmHouse, entered the room where Hazelwood had been left, and found him unresponsive on the couch. This student alerted several others who were at the house, including one individual who performed CPR while another individual called 911.
The students participating in the serenades left the house between approximately 5:10 and 5:15 that evening and returned at approximately 6:05 and 6:15. The 911 call came in at 6:16 pm and Lexington Fire Department was on scene at 6:19 p.m.
Currently there is no information available to UK Police to support any criminal charges regarding Hazelwood’s death.
According to the report, UK officials announced the revocation of FarmHouse’s status as a registered student organization (RSO) on campus for at least four years. The national chapter of FarmHouse has revoked the local chapter’s status. Further, the national chapter has issued a no-contact order, which means that the now former members of this chapter can have no association with FarmHouse for seven years.
Find the full report below.
Hazelwood died October 18 at UK Hospital after he was found unresponsive at his fraternity house. On December 15, Fayette County Coroner's Office confirmed that Hazelwood's cause of death was alcohol toxicity.
According to the coroner's report, Hazelwood's blood alcohol content was 0.354, which is almost 4.5 times the limit .08 for an adult of legal drinking age.
His death was ruled as an accident and UK Police said that no charges will be filed.
Following his death, along with launching two independent investigations, UK placed an immediate ban on activities by the FarmHouse chapter and immedialy prohibited any new member activities in any Interfraternity Council (IFC) chapter at UK.
The fraternity was cited for liquor law violation the night he died.
In the days that followed, the UK community honored the 18-year-old Henderson, Kentucky native in special ways. Hazelwood's campus community gathered outside the Catholic Newman Center about 24 hours after his death to honor him with a vigil. UK students continued to gather outside the church for a rosary service, and to pray for him and his family.
