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Rider Student Dies Of Alcohol Poisoning
Private Memorial Service Being Held Saturday Afternoon
POSTED: 1:47 pm EDT March 30,
2007
UPDATED: 8:10 pm EDT March 30,
2007
A Rider University freshman died Friday after excessive drinking at a fraternity house on the university's campus, a hospital spokesman said.Gary DeVercelly, 18, of Long Beach, Calif. died at about 10:50 a.m. at Capital Health System's Fuld Campus in Trenton, said Don MacNeill, a hospital spokesman. DeVercelly had been in critical condition at the hospital.A prayer vigil at the university chapel drew hundreds Thursday night to the university.
A private memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday inside Gill Chapel on campus.There will also be counseling available throughout the weekend, school officials said.The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office couldn't immediately be reached for comment. It has been investigating the incident as a possible hazing situation.Lawrence Township police were dispatched to the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity house at 1:52 a.m. Thursday on a report of a student vomiting from drinking alcohol.Devercelly and a second student, who was also intoxicated, were taken to Fuld for treatment of alcohol poisoning.Devercelly was admitted to the intensive care unit.The second student, whose name was not released, was treated in the emergency room and released.DeVercelly's parents flew to New Jersey from California on Thursday to be with their son.Rider has nearly 5,800 undergraduate and graduate students at its main campus near Trenton and its Westminster Choir College campus in Princeton.School officials said counsors and the campus’ ministry staff would be available to students, faculty and staff.Mordechai Rozanski, the university president, said flags on both of Rider’s campuses will be flown at half staff.The other student found sickened early Thursday went home to Florida to be with his family.
Copyright 2007 by NBC10.com The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.









