Crist died from acute alcohol poisoning
Blood alcohol level was five times the legal limit
Mark Norris, Editor in Chief, mnorris@smu.edu
Issue date: 5/4/07 Section: News
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Crist had a blood alcohol level of .4 - five times the legal limit. Guidelines and charts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that at least 15 drinks would be necessary to have a BAC that high.
The cause of death was listed as accidental.
Investigators said diabetes insipidus was not a contributing factor to Crist's death. Crist's family said diabetes was the cause of death in an obituary printed in the Chicago Tribune.
Crist was found unresponsive in a dorm room on the third floor of Perkins Hall on May 2.
The first call for help was received that day at 10:22 a.m., with University Park fire and emergency personnel responding along with SMU Police.
SMU Police were first on the scene and attempted CPR on Crist, but they said he was not in good shape. A few minutes after that, UP personnel arrived and also began efforts to revive Crist. They moved Crist into the hallway and continued to work, but he was unresponsive to any efforts. Witnesses said Crist's face looked blue.
UP paramedics transported Crist to Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, where he was declared dead at 11:05 a.m. the same day.
Crist, 19, was from Hinsdale, Ill.
Crist was the second SMU student to die this school year two days before final exams begin.
Sophomore Jacob "Jake" Stiles was found dead in his room in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house two days before final exams in the fall. The cause of his death was a lethal cocktail of expensive prescription pain killer fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol, according to a report from the Dallas County Medical Examiner.
Stiles was from Naperville, Ill., which is 12 miles away from Hinsdale. Both cities are suburbs of Chicago.
Dallas Police are still investigating the death of senior Meghan Bosch. She was the third SMU student to die during the 2006/07 school year. She went missing during final exams and was found dead in a portable toilet at a construction site in near Waco, on May 14.
Investigators located her drug dealer, James McDaniel, 46, Wednesday afternoon. He was passed out in a University Park apartment and transported to an area hospital. Police want to question him for additional information.
Posted 3:45 p.m. Wed., May 23. Updated 11:05 p.m.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 28
Zorec
posted 5/23/07 @ 4:48 PM CST
Drink responsibly
Matt Jones
posted 5/23/07 @ 4:59 PM CST
These are all unfortunate cases of bad judgment, but it is probably inappropriate to label anyone as "Bosch's Drug Dealer". Probably going to take some heat for that one buddy. (Continued…)
Smu Student
posted 5/23/07 @ 5:49 PM CST
One day SMU should learn the following: (1) Its students are predominantly rich, spoiled, status-seeking idiots who exercise horrible judgment all in an attempt to "have a good time. (Continued…)
Elizabeth
posted 5/23/07 @ 7:52 PM CST
What is it about finals that makes students overdose on drugs or alcohol? Three deaths related to drugs and/or alcohol this year at SMU, and the university seems to place all the blame on the parties, frats, etc. (Continued…)
SMU Student
posted 5/24/07 @ 1:59 AM CST
Please learn from these tragedies, I don't want to loose anyone else.
some student
posted 5/24/07 @ 10:00 AM CST
I don't mean to be rude but if we all thought like Elizabeth, we'd get nowhere. "Kids are going to drink and do drugs" Honestly? This mentality needs to go in order to incite change or the result will be yet another OD. (Continued…)
Bucko
posted 5/24/07 @ 10:32 AM CST
I can't imagine anyone needing fifteen drinks because of stress related to the connect-the-dots, elementary-school-level final exams that are given in most classes at SMU (not because the professors don't care, but because they know the results would be horrendous if they give anything harder). (Continued…)
Josh Potter
posted 5/24/07 @ 2:28 PM CST
Please keep the families of these individuals in mind. Poor decisions lead to tragic events. Inform the ones you love of the dangers of drugs. Don't let this happen to your family. (Continued…)
John
posted 5/24/07 @ 4:36 PM CST
While it may seem insensitive to try to address the issue at the heart of these tragedies, while there are friends and family mourning the loss of this student - it is certainly justifiable, if not appropriate to do so. (Continued…)
JT Thrall (SAE)
posted 5/24/07 @ 8:46 PM CST
IN RESPONSE TO "SMU STUDENT." First of all, own up to your own opinion. If you are a student here, then you, yes you, are also a member of SMU's "self-selected" student population. (Continued…)
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