After providing hallucinogenic mushrooms to former Ohio University student Eric Hansen hours before he fell to his death in 2009, James Wagers has pleaded guilty to negligent homicide.
On April 28, 2009, Hansen fell to his death from a fourth floor window of the Weld House on Ohio University’s South Green after ingesting illegal psilocin that was sold to him by Wagers.
Yesterday Wagers, 22, also pleaded guilty to an amended charge of obstruction of official business before Judge Alan Goldsberry.
Goldsberry sentenced Wagers to 92 days in the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, as well as five years of community control with an underlying term of 12 months in prison.
Wagers must complete drug and alcohol assessment, pay court costs and $3,150 restitution to Athens County, along with entering into a full-time educational program.
In 2009, Wagers was arrested in Huron County and a grand jury charged him with involuntary manslaughter and aggravated drug trafficking, according to a previous Post article.
Wagers was a sophomore at OU at the time.
Though the psilocin itself did not kill Hansen, prosecuters at the time said he would not have fallen if he did not use the hallucinogen.
Wagers is “taking responsibility” for the death of Hansen, according to a news release from Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn.
@ThePostCity
