Faulty Lock Led to the Death of Purdue Student  

By Storm Jackson                      Top of  page                          Article

Wade Steffey, 19, disappeared on January 13, 2007. Wade's body  was on March 19, in the Owen Hall utility room. The room where a Purdue student was killed had a faulty lock.  Also, the article stated that Wade was legally drunk when the accident happened. The exact blood level conten was not revealed only that it was above the legal limit of .08.

"Purdue's executive vice president and treasurer said, based on the wsbt report, "We now have a more complete picture of what led up to this unfortunate event. We may never know, however, exactly what happened or what motivated Wade Steffey to enter the electrical vault.""

2007 © Associated Content, All rights reserved

Report: Electrical vault door Steffey used wasn't secured                    Top of  page

By BRIAN WALLHEIMER
bwallheimer@journalandcourier.com

July 2, 2007

Reported that Purdue University did not adequately secure the high-voltage electrical vault that an intoxicated Wade entered prior to his death.  "Tests of the hardware set on the door to Owen Hall's vault "did not fully engage unless the door was closed forcefully and that when it was not fully engaged, the exterior knob could appear to be locked when the door was not secure.""


Also reported that Wade was seen consuming alcohol at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 12 in his dorm and went to a party at the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house later that night Witnesses who "saw Steffey outside Owen Hall after midnight Jan. 13, said he looked intoxicated as he made several calls on his cell phone outside the building."


Contributing: Andrea Thomas/athomas@journalandcourier.com

Documents shed light on Steffey case                         

By SOPHIA VORAVONG       Top of  page                            Article
svoravong@journalandcourier.com

Reports on the issuance of documents by the University as to what was know at that time and Wade's family's quest for further information.

Steffey parents still eye Purdue suit                                Top of  page

By SOPHIA VORAVONG
svoravong@journalandcourier.com

Reported that Wade's parents plan to go forth with a potential lawsuit.

Purdue fraternities trying to follow the rules, but ...                  Top of  page

By BRIAN WALLHEIMER
bwallheimer@journalandcourier.com

Reported that "Purdue University fraternities are pulling out their rule books this week just days after five of their fellow organizations were suspended for alcohol violations."

"Five fraternities -- Kappa Delta Rho, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Delta Upsilon and Phi Kappa Psi -- were suspended last week. They were accused of violating Interfraternity Council rules that require registration of social functions and alcohol-free events during Boiler Gold Rush, the university's weeklong freshman orientation.  The parties held by the fraternities, in which minors were given or had access to alcohol"

Steffey's parents reach settlement with Purdue            
By Tim O'Connor
Publication Date: 08/22/07        Top of  page                                  Article
 

Reported that Wade's parents have reached a half million dollar settlement with Purdue.

""The settlement provides financial compensation for the family and also assures that Wade's memory will live on through the students who have access to a Purdue education because of the scholarship," Joe Bennett, vice president of university relations, said in a press release. Wade's parents and their lawyers stressed the scholarship was a solid foundation of cooperation from this point forward."

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