Max
06-20-2003, 06:20 PM
Alcohol, Priest's Past Surface In Football Player's Death
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There have been several developments in the case of a 19-year-old college student who died after falling off a catwalk through a church ceiling and landing on a pew.
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A source close to the case tells WTAE's Bob Mayo that Billy Gaines, a sophomore wide receiver on the Pitt football team, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 when he was admitted to Mercy Hospital with spinal cord and skull injuries that eventually killed him Wednesday.
Though Gaines was under Pennsylvania's legal drinking age of 21, his alleged BAC is nearly twice the state's legal driving limit of 0.10.
Also, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh says a priest at St. Anne in Homestead, where the fatal accident occurred, was once accused of making a sexual advance toward an 18-year-old boy, as well as reprimanded and sent to counseling for providing alcohol to a minor.
The alleged incidents involving the Rev. Henry Krawczyk occurred in 1986 and 1992, before he was at St. Anne, according to the diocese. The families involved were instructed to go to police but no criminal charges were filed, the diocese says.
Krawczyk has voluntarily removed himself from St. Anne while police investigate Gaines' death, according to the diocese.
Gaines was attending a cookout at St. Anne on Tuesday night. Police said he fell about 25 feet around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday after climbing onto planks that workers used to change lights.
"For some unknown reason Gaines climbed up to the crawl space above the ceiling of the church," said Jim Morton, assistant superintendent of Allegheny County police. "There's a small plank you walk across. He either slipped or had a misstep."
Gaines and his roommate, Pitt kicker David Abdul, were temporarily living in an old convent building at the church because their apartment was destroyed by a fire.
Abdul was 10 feet from Gaines on the catwalk when he fell.
"We didn't think we could fall," Abdul said. "We just went out there and it was real dark and we couldn't see."
Mayo reported that no one is allowed to stay in a church building unless gives its permission. When asked if the players had that permission, a diocese spokesman said police had advised him not to comment.
Police said the death appears to be accidental, but they are continuing to investigate. They are awaiting toxicology test results and have not commented on Gaines' alleged drunkenness.
Gaines, a native of Ijamsville, Md., caught the touchdown that helped Urbana High School win the 2001 Maryland state championship. He returned punts as a freshman at Pitt before breaking his foot.
School officials have expressed support for the Gaines family.
"The entire university community was saddened by the tragic accident that claimed the life of Billy Gaines," chancellor Mark Nordenberg said Thursday. "We all share in your deep sense of loss and sorrow."
"There are no words to describe the deep feelings of loss our program is feeling right now," Panthers coach Walt Harris said in a statement. "Many people saw Billy Gaines as simply a football player. He was so much more. Billy was a faithful son, brother, friend and teammate. He was never the biggest player on the football field, but no one stood taller when it came to commitment, passion and loyalty. We will miss him dearly but, in a very significant and comforting way, Billy will always be with us."
News of Gaines' death dominated campus conversation Thursday. Players and friends are expected to make the drive to Ijamsville this weekend to attend his funeral.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=418&u=/ibsys/20030621/lo_wtae/1665484&printer=1
1 hour, 10 minutes ago Add Local - WTAE ThePittsburghChannel.com to My Yahoo!
There have been several developments in the case of a 19-year-old college student who died after falling off a catwalk through a church ceiling and landing on a pew.
• Current Western Pa. News
• WTAE's DeNardo Weather Watch
• Sign Up For Daily News Flashes
• Get A Great Deal On Your Next Car
A source close to the case tells WTAE's Bob Mayo that Billy Gaines, a sophomore wide receiver on the Pitt football team, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 when he was admitted to Mercy Hospital with spinal cord and skull injuries that eventually killed him Wednesday.
Though Gaines was under Pennsylvania's legal drinking age of 21, his alleged BAC is nearly twice the state's legal driving limit of 0.10.
Also, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh says a priest at St. Anne in Homestead, where the fatal accident occurred, was once accused of making a sexual advance toward an 18-year-old boy, as well as reprimanded and sent to counseling for providing alcohol to a minor.
The alleged incidents involving the Rev. Henry Krawczyk occurred in 1986 and 1992, before he was at St. Anne, according to the diocese. The families involved were instructed to go to police but no criminal charges were filed, the diocese says.
Krawczyk has voluntarily removed himself from St. Anne while police investigate Gaines' death, according to the diocese.
Gaines was attending a cookout at St. Anne on Tuesday night. Police said he fell about 25 feet around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday after climbing onto planks that workers used to change lights.
"For some unknown reason Gaines climbed up to the crawl space above the ceiling of the church," said Jim Morton, assistant superintendent of Allegheny County police. "There's a small plank you walk across. He either slipped or had a misstep."
Gaines and his roommate, Pitt kicker David Abdul, were temporarily living in an old convent building at the church because their apartment was destroyed by a fire.
Abdul was 10 feet from Gaines on the catwalk when he fell.
"We didn't think we could fall," Abdul said. "We just went out there and it was real dark and we couldn't see."
Mayo reported that no one is allowed to stay in a church building unless gives its permission. When asked if the players had that permission, a diocese spokesman said police had advised him not to comment.
Police said the death appears to be accidental, but they are continuing to investigate. They are awaiting toxicology test results and have not commented on Gaines' alleged drunkenness.
Gaines, a native of Ijamsville, Md., caught the touchdown that helped Urbana High School win the 2001 Maryland state championship. He returned punts as a freshman at Pitt before breaking his foot.
School officials have expressed support for the Gaines family.
"The entire university community was saddened by the tragic accident that claimed the life of Billy Gaines," chancellor Mark Nordenberg said Thursday. "We all share in your deep sense of loss and sorrow."
"There are no words to describe the deep feelings of loss our program is feeling right now," Panthers coach Walt Harris said in a statement. "Many people saw Billy Gaines as simply a football player. He was so much more. Billy was a faithful son, brother, friend and teammate. He was never the biggest player on the football field, but no one stood taller when it came to commitment, passion and loyalty. We will miss him dearly but, in a very significant and comforting way, Billy will always be with us."
News of Gaines' death dominated campus conversation Thursday. Players and friends are expected to make the drive to Ijamsville this weekend to attend his funeral.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=418&u=/ibsys/20030621/lo_wtae/1665484&printer=1