WSU students linked to fatality pled guilty

COLFAX - Three of the 15 Washington State University (WSU) students connected to the alcohol poisoning death of a student pled guilty.

Sam Martinez, 19, of Bellevue, died after an Alpha Tau Omega fraternity event in November 2019 promoting mentoring and drinking. He died of alcohol poisoning, according to the Whitman County Coroner. He and another student were given a half-gallon of rum to drink at the event.

WSU fraternity members Maxwell Rovegno, Cameron Thomas, and Nolan Valcik pled guilty to furnishing alcohol to minors and were sentenced on Sept. 24 to 364 days in jail with 363 days suspended, eight months of supervised probation, and $1,000 in fines with $500 suspended, according to Whitman County District Court records.

Valcik is required to attend a DUI victims' panel. Rovegno and Thomas are required to complete Alcohol and Drug Information School

The three men were not accused of furnishing alcohol to Martinez. Out of the 15 men charged in connection to the party, only one is accused of giving alcohol to the deceased.