Hanover Police charged freshmen Scott Lollis, Daniel O'Neill and Stephen Vogel with criminal trespass on March 9 after they allegedly sneaked into Gamma Delta Chi fraternity with Geoff Clay '97.
Clay, who was not charged by the police, injured himself that night when he fell more than 15 feet from a staircase landing onto the house's basketball court.
According to Hanover Police, Clay fell while walking around the basement around 3 a.m., sustaining injuries to his wrist, jaw, shoulder, kneecap and thighbone. Clay is recovering from his sustained injuries back home in Cranford, N.J., O'Neill said.
O'Neill said he and the other freshmen first met Clay at Phi Delta Alpha fraternity, where Clay is a brother. He said Clay suggested that they go to Gamma Delt and steal a keg.
"We just went in through the back door. It was open," O'Neill said. "It was pitch black."
O'Neill said once they entered the dark basement through the back door, Clay jumped over a railing on the landing above the Gamma Delt's basketball court because he believed that Gamma Delt's bar was nearby.
O'Neill said once he, Lollis and Vogel were able to turn on a light, they saw Clay lying injured on the basketball court more than 15 feet below and called for an ambulance.
After an ambulance came to take Clay to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Hanover Police arrested the three freshmen for criminal trespass.
Lollis, O'Neill and Vogel were released with a summons to appear for arraignment in Hanover District Court on April 12.
O'Neill said he is meeting with his father, an attorney and the other two freshman and their attorneys to discuss what the three will plead.
Gamma Delt President Chris Berg '96 said he is not angry at Clay, but hopes for his speedy recovery.
"I just hope the kid's alright. I have no bone to pick," Berg said.
Attempts to contact Clay were unsuccessful. According to an official from the Registrar's Office, Clay is not currently enrolled at the College.
