Ahh yet another example of why I chose to avoid Greek life when I was in college. Despite many universities' best efforts lets face the truth, hazing happens. The majority of fraternities and sororities put their new pledges through all sorts of obscene tasks to "earn the right" to join their organization. That idea always just seemed preposterous to me.
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However, in the past these events were more embarrassing than dangerous. Carry upperclassman's books, say stupid chants, little things like that. However now, a fraternity in Florida has taken things to an entirely new level. Some of the frat brothers have been accused of hitting pledges with a car in a dangerous hazing incident.
Hazing Incident Has Frat Brothers Hitting Pledges With Cars
Fraternity brothers at the University of Central Florida are facing some pretty serious allegations. A neighboring sorority claimed that they saw Sigma Chia frat brothers hitting pledges with a car. The NY Post shares "A Kappa Alpha Theta sister called campus police around 3 a.m. after she heard yelling and saw a gray Kia from the Sigma Chi house strike someone who appeared to be a pledge."
The poor pledge was heard screaming for help and about pain from broken bones. While the car only appeared to be going between 10-15 miles per hour it appears to have done some damage. Although these claims were made, the fraternity brothers deny that anyone was struck by a vehicle. However, the vehicle in question (a gray Kia) was seen attempting "to leave the scene with its headlights off." Luckily police caught up to it.
Additionally, the pledge that was supposedly struck by the Kia is no where to be found. Thus making getting to the bottom of this hazing incident a bit more tricky.
Not Their First Encounter With Hazing
Although police can not confirm or deny the validity of these claims just yet, Sigma Chia does have a track record for this sort of thing. The NY Post shared that the fraternity has been suspended "eight times between 2015 and 2020."
While the fraternity is not addressing any of the current allegations they have agreed to cooperate with the school and local police department. A school spokesperson shared that the fraternity cannot " have events on or off campus during its suspension."
While the school claims to condemn hazing in all forms, this hazing incident seems to have taken things to new heights. Now only time will tell what happens to these fraternity brothers who are accused of hitting pledges with a car.
