WILMINGTON, Del. – Two members of a fraternity and sorority at Dartmouth College have been charged in connection with the death of a student who was found dead in the Connecticut River last summer after attending an off-campus party, police said.
Won Jang, 20, a student and member of the Beta Alpha Omega fraternity at an Ivy League university, attended an off-campus party in July hosted by the Alpha Phi sorority, Hanover, New Hampshire police said Friday in a statement. Most of the attendees at the party, including Jang, were under the age of 21 and drank alcoholic beverages provided by Beta Alpha Omega members who were over 21, according to police.
Police said several attendees “made a spontaneous decision” to swim in the Connecticut River after the party, but a heavy rainstorm chased them out of the river in smaller groups.
“No one in these groups noticed that Jang was missing,” police said. “It was confirmed through multiple interviews, including Jang’s family, that he could not swim.”
An autopsy report from the New Hampshire Chief Medical Examiner’s Office later determined Jang’s cause of death was drowning, police said. The report also found that Jang’s blood alcohol level was 0.167, which is more than double the legal limit in New Hampshire for drivers 21 and older.
Police said an investigation revealed probable cause to charge two Beta Alpha Omega members, identified as Matthew Catrambone and Samuel Terry, with furnishing alcohol to a person under 21 years of age. The Alpha Phi sorority was accused of facilitating an alcohol house for minors.
All charges are felonies and police say the parties involved have been summoned to appear in Lebanon District Court.
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Body found off the coast of the river
Hanover police and firefighters responded July 7 to reports that a man was missing in an area near the harbor on the Connecticut River, just west of the Dartmouth College campus, police said. Jang was reported missing after he failed to show up for an appointment, WMUR-TV and WPTZ reported.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Jang was last seen on July 6 at approximately 9:30 PM local time. Items found near the dock showed that Jang had not left the river area, authorities said.
Several state and local emergency agencies – including a dive team from the Hanover Fire Department, the New Hampshire Marine Patrol and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department – responded to the scene. Authorities also used an underwater camera that located the body, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said.
Jang’s body was recovered about 20 meters offshore at around 7:30 pm local time on July 7, authorities said.
Further investigation revealed that Jang attended a party at an off-campus apartment complex rented by several members of the Alpha Phi sorority, police said. According to WMUR-TV and WPTZ, authorities found evidence of alcohol and initially believed college hazing was involved in the incident.
Who was Won Jang?
Jang was from Middletown, a city in northern Delaware, the Delaware News Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. He was a member of the Beta Alpha Omega fraternity, according to the fraternity’s website, which said he studied biomedical engineering at Dartmouth College.
Before attending Dartmouth, Jang attended Middletown High School and participated in several academic clubs such as Science Olympiad, Math League, HOSA – Future Health Professionals and Business Professionals of America, according to the Delaware Department of Education.
“I have always challenged myself to learn more about the world in many different areas, and I loved how my exploration of hobbies and academics could be used to help my community,” Jang was quoted in his nomination statement for Minister of Delaware Finance in 2022. Education Scholars.
“These self-initiated adventures shaped me to be a continuous learner and, along with my parents’ encouragement, to enjoy the process over the outcome,” he said. “I have learned to look for the goals behind my studies and to value connections with people.”
Jang also volunteered in the local community through the National Honor Society and, at the request of his friends, founded a Korean club at Middletown High School to teach them Korean. Before graduating, Jang aspired to become a researcher in molecular and cellular biology, according to the Delaware Department of Education.
Jang will graduate as valedictorian from Middletown High School in 2022, according to a social media post from the school. Following Jang’s death, former Dartmouth College Dean Scott Brown offered his condolences to those who knew Jang.
“We understand that this is very difficult news for our community and encourage you to reach out for support, whether you need a listening ear or guidance as you navigate this challenging time,” Brown said in a statement in July. “We’ve been in contact with Won’s fraternity brothers and other friends.”
“Won has wholeheartedly embraced the opportunities at Dartmouth to pursue his academic and personal passions,” Brown added. “He enthusiastically participated in the Dartmouth community.”
The university’s student newspaper, The Dartmouth, reported in July that Jang was a project manager at a software development lab on campus and a research assistant at the Thayer School of Engineering. He also participated in an entrepreneurship program and was an international student mentor for the Office of Pluralism and Leadership, according to the newspaper.
Contributing: Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY; Esteban Parra and Brittany Horn, Delaware News Journal
This article originally appeared in Delaware News Journal: Dartmouth student deaths: 2 frat members and fraternity charged
