Three members of an Arizona fraternity are facing a hazing charge in connection with the death of a student during a pledge event this weekend, police said.

Officers were called to a residence on Saturday morning to help with an unresponsive 18-year-old male, according to the Flagstaff Police Department. The young man was not breathing and bystanders had been performing CPR by the time officers arrived at the scene.

He was pronounced dead at the scene after paramedics arrived at the house, police said. Police identified the young man only as a student at Northern Arizona University.

Police said detectives executed search warrants for the residence and interviewed several witnesses, learning that there was a rush event for the Delta Tau Delta fraternity there the night before.

“Alcohol consumption was reported to have occurred by numerous individuals in attendance, including pledge candidates, which includes the deceased male,” police said.

Three members of the fraternity’s executive board were arrested and booked into jail on a charge of hazing, police said. They were identified as Ryan Creech, fraternity vice president; Carter Eslick, new member educator; and Riley Cass, treasurer.

Court records were not immediately available for the three 20-year-old fraternity members and it is unclear whether they have retained attorneys.

Northern Arizona University released a statement Saturday describing the death as a “devastating loss” to the university’s community. It also acknowledged the three arrests, saying that the death occurred at an off-campus residence associated with the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.

“We want to be clear: The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priorities,” the university said. “Violence, hazing or any other behavior that endangers others has no place at NAU.”

The university added that it was suspending Delta Tau Delta while it conducts its own investigation regarding potential violations of university policies.

Arizona passed a law in 2022 that made hazing a criminal offense in honor of Jack Culolias, who died as a freshman at Arizona State University. Hazing resulting in death is a Class 4 felony, according to the law.

Culolias was drinking during a pledge event at Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in 2012 when he drank so much alcohol that he eventually drowned by falling into Tempe Town Lake after he was last seen leaving a fraternity event, according to NBC affiliate KPNX.

Arizona freshman standout Ivan Kharchenkov has adjusted nicely to the college basketball landscape since coming from overseas before this season.

While Brayden Burries and Koa Peat have taken a lot of the attention as the star freshmen talents of the #1-ranked Wildcats, Kharchenkov cannot be forgotten as well. The 6-foot-7 forward from Germany is averaging 9.4 pounds, and 3.3 rebounds per game as a freshman this season.

Prior to joining Arizona before this season, Kharchenkov had played in the EuroLeague since he was 16. In the 2024-25 season, he helped Bayern Munich earn the Bundesliga championship.

Now making the transition to college basketball in America, Kharchenkov has had no problem adjusting to the pace, and physicality of the Big 12. He has been a key figure for Arizona as they currently remain undefeated at 21-0, and are the nation’s top team in not just the AP Poll, but also KenPom, and NET rankings, making them the unanimous choice for the country’s best team by the most respected metrics. 

Overseas basketball has been brought to prominence thanks to the passion, and hardcore fandom by the fanbases in the leagues. Rivalry games in particular show plenty of intensity, so Kharchenkov is no stranger to big games with tons of animosity. 

Kharchenkov’s thoughts

In light of Arizona’s thrilling victory over the #13 BYU Cougars, Kharchenkov was asked recently about the difference between playing overseas, and playing college basketball in the United States.

• “It’s definitely a little bit different,” Kharchenkov said. “In Europe, derby games are a little bit more harsh, like in language. Here, they’re kind of nicer, but the hate itself is a little bit bigger. Both are good, I like this one more because it’s a little more correct, and more sportsmanlike.”

Kharchenkov’s composure in big games must be contagious, as the Wildcats have excelled in big-time matchups this season. They’ve earned themselves six wins over ranked teams this season, are 9-0 in Quad 1 games, and 3-0 in Quad 2, giving them an already impressive resume with the NCAA Tournament still over a month away. 

They’ll look to continue their incredible season as the schedule now enters the stretch run heading into the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats currently look like potentially the most dangerous team in all of college basketball, and the fact that they are led by several freshmen makes them a truly unique team capable of earning the second national title in program history. 

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