A former University of Texas at Arlington student is suing a fraternity alleging that he was blindfolded and forced to drink so much alcohol that it led to his alcohol poisoning last year, according to a lawsuit.
Roc Riner was a junior in his first semester at UT-Arlington when he pledged to the Sigma Chi fraternity in March, according to the lawsuit obtained by NBC 5.
That’s when he was blindfolded and forced to do physical exercises and drink beer and liquor until he blacked out, the lawsuit states. Riner alleges that other members of the fraternity sprayed water on him and yelled at him throughout the process.
Riner was hospitalized for several days with alcohol poisoning and had to withdraw from school for medical reasons, his attorney T. Nguyen said in the lawsuit.
NBC 5 has reached out to UT Arlington for comment. A spokesperson said they are processing our request.
The local Sigma Chi chapter said they are not authorized to comment on this case at this time.
Last April -- a month after the alleged incident with Riner occurred -- UT Arlington had suspended all social activities at its 31 fraternities and sororities.
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The decision was based not on a single event but, "due to concerns regarding the culture of the fraternal community both at UTA and nationally," a university spokesperson said.
