A former fraternity member accused of hazing an 18-year-old Northern Arizona University student who died after consuming an enormous amount of alcohol during an off-campus "rush" event pleaded guilty to hazing involving consumption of a substance causing harm in Coconino County Superior Court.
Carter Eslick, 20, pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement that would allow him to avoid prison and instead serve time on probation should a judge accept the deal.
Eslick's case stemmed from a Jan. 31 incident in which officers responded to an off-campus house where Colin Martinez was found unresponsive before being pronounced dead at the scene, Flagstaff police spokesperson Sgt. Jerry Rintala previously said.
Investigators learned Martinez had played
a dangerous drinking game that involved him consuming a large amount of alcohol the previous night. Martinez died of acute ethanol toxicity and had a blood alcohol content of 0.425%, according to his autopsy.
Flagstaff police initially arrested Eslick and two other 20-year-old executive board members of the Delta Tau Delta NAU chapter on suspicion of hazing. They were released shortly thereafter when Flagstaff police hadn't actually submitted any criminal charges for prosecutors to review. The fraternity closed its NAU chapter following Martinez's death.
Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker announced Eslick's indictment nearly two months after Martinez's death but declined to say at the time whether he planned to pursue additional charges against Eslick or others.
"The loss of a young person is always a tragedy," Barker said in a previous statement. "Our hearts are with Colin Martinez’s family, and we will diligently pursue this case toward a just resolution."
Eslick was not registered as an NAU student for the fall 2026 semester or beyond, according to university spokesperson Kimberly Ott.
Eslick was allowed to live with his parents in Scottsdale upon posting bond following his initial arrest, according to court documents. He is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 30 in Coconino County Superior Court.
Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@arizonarepublic.com or 480-341-9433. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former NAU fraternity member takes plea deal in fatal hazing case
