WSU student in critical condition after fall

Police say alcohol played a factor in another fall at Washington State University where a student fell two stories early Sunday morning from a fraternity balcony. Pullman police officers were dispatched to the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, located at 910 NE Colorado Street, just after 1 a.m. where they found 19-year-old Griffin E. Healey on the ground unconscious, but breathing. Witnesses told police Healey was trying to sit on the second floor railing when he fell backwards and landed on the ground. Healey reportedly hit his head when he fell near a retaining wall and some rocks under the balcony, said Commander Chris Tennant. He was taken to Pullman Regional Hospital and then transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane where he remains in critical condition. The incident was the fourth alcohol-related fall by a student in the Palouse in recent months. Of the other three, two were at WSU and one was at the University of Idaho. In response, WSU administrators announced the creation of an alcohol and drug task force to tackle the growing problem of over-consumption of alcohol among students. Lambda Chi Alpha chapter president Justin Alexander says he was not at the house when Griffin fell, but arrived later as police and medical personnel were on scene. He describes Healey as a great guy with a “super good heart,” and said all the other fraternity members’ prayers are with Griffin and his family. “He’s one of those guys that would do almost anything for you - always a friend,” Alexander said. He added the fraternity has had multiple meetings since Sunday morning to explain the incident and organize precautionary steps to make sure this never happens again and to keep people off the balconies.