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Guthrie County (Earth/North America/United States/Iowa/Guthrie County) Fraternity Hazing Attorneys | $24M in Pike Settlements Exposed | Pi Kappa Phi Shut Down By Our Lawsuit | Attorney911 — Federal Court Admitted | Evidence Preservation Specialists | 1-888-ATTY-911

February 22, 2026 12 min read
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Hazing Lawyer in Guthrie County, Iowa | Attorney 911

Guthrie County Families: Your Child Was Hazed—Now What?

If your son or daughter was hazed at a fraternity, sorority, sports team, or student organization in Guthrie County, Iowa, you’re not alone. The same abuse that hospitalized a student at the University of Houston in 2025 is happening right here in Iowa. Waterboarding, forced drinking, extreme physical punishment, humiliation—these aren’t “traditions.” They’re crimes.

At Attorney 911, we’re actively fighting a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. Now, we’re bringing that same aggressive legal strategy to Guthrie County families who’ve suffered similar abuse. You don’t have to stay silent. You don’t have to let them get away with it.

🚨 What Happened in Houston Could Happen in Guthrie County

The Case That Proves Hazing Is Out of Control

In November 2025, our client—Leonel Bermudez—was hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure after being hazed at Pi Kappa Phi’s University of Houston chapter. The fraternity forced him to:
Endure simulated waterboarding with a garden hose
Do 500 squats and 100 pushups until he collapsed
Eat food until he vomited, then keep running through his own vomit
Be struck with wooden paddles
Carry sexual objects in a fanny pack as humiliation

He wasn’t even a UH student yet. He was a “ghost rush”—someone the fraternity recruited before he even enrolled. They hazed him anyway.

Why This Matters to Guthrie County Families

  • The same fraternities operate in Iowa. Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, and others have chapters at universities near Guthrie County.
  • Universities in Iowa are just as negligent. If a student is hazed in Guthrie County, the school likely knew—or should have known—it was happening.
  • Hazing is illegal in Iowa. Just like in Texas, consent is not a defense. If your child was forced to participate, they still have legal rights.
  • We know how to win. Our attorneys are former insurance defense lawyers—we know how fraternities and universities try to avoid responsibility. We’re fighting this battle right now, and we’ll fight for Guthrie County families too.

🔍 Is Your Child a Hazing Victim? Warning Signs

Hazing isn’t always obvious. Many victims stay silent out of fear, loyalty, or shame. If your child shows any of these signs, they may have been hazed:

Physical injuries – Bruises, cuts, burns, or unexplained pain
Extreme exhaustion – Sleeping all day, missing classes, falling behind
Sudden weight loss or gain – Forced eating, starvation, or excessive exercise
Mood changes – Anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or panic attacks
Secretive behavior – Avoiding questions about Greek life, lying about where they’ve been
Financial strain – Paying for fraternity/sorority “dues” that seem excessive
Alcohol poisoning symptoms – Blackouts, vomiting, or hospitalization from drinking
Fear of retaliation – Not wanting to talk about what happened, scared of consequences

If you suspect hazing, don’t wait. Call us now at 1-888-ATTY-911.

⚖️ Iowa Hazing Laws: What You Need to Know

Iowa Code § 708.10 – Hazing Is a Crime

In Iowa, hazing is a serious misdemeanor, punishable by:

  • Up to 1 year in jail
  • Fines up to $2,560
  • Criminal charges for everyone involved

But criminal charges aren’t enough. Victims and families deserve financial compensation for medical bills, therapy, pain and suffering, and more. That’s where civil lawsuits come in.

Who Can Be Sued for Hazing in Guthrie County?

If your child was hazed, multiple parties can be held liable:

Defendant Why They’re Responsible
The fraternity/sorority chapter Organized and carried out the hazing
National fraternity/sorority organization Failed to supervise the chapter, ignored prior incidents
University/college Knew or should have known about hazing, failed to protect students
Individual members Participated in or allowed the hazing to happen
Alumni or advisors Hosted hazing events, failed to intervene
Housing corporations Owned the property where hazing occurred

In our Houston case, we’re suing:

  • Pi Kappa Phi National
  • The local UH chapter
  • The university (which owned the fraternity house)
  • Individual members
  • A former member and his spouse (who hosted hazing at their home)

Guthrie County families can pursue the same legal action.

💰 How Much Is a Hazing Lawsuit Worth?

Hazing cases can result in multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts. Here’s what other families have won:

Case Fraternity University Outcome
Stone Foltz (2021) Pi Kappa Alpha Bowling Green State $10.1 million
Maxwell Gruver (2017) Phi Delta Theta Louisiana State $6.1 million jury verdict
Timothy Piazza (2017) Beta Theta Pi Penn State $110+ million (estimated)
Andrew Coffey (2017) Pi Kappa Phi Florida State Confidential settlement
Leonel Bermudez (2025) Pi Kappa Phi University of Houston $10 million lawsuit pending

What Damages Can Guthrie County Families Recover?

Medical bills (past and future)
Therapy and mental health treatment (PTSD, anxiety, depression)
Lost wages (if hazing affected school/work)
Pain and suffering (physical and emotional trauma)
Punitive damages (to punish the fraternity/university for gross negligence)
Wrongful death damages (if hazing resulted in death)

We work on a contingency fee—you pay nothing unless we win.

📋 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Guthrie County

Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately

  • If your child is injured, go to the ER or urgent care right away.
  • Even if injuries seem minor, document everything. Some conditions (like rhabdomyolysis) can be life-threatening if untreated.
  • Keep all medical records. These will be crucial for your case.

Step 2: Preserve Evidence

Do NOT delete anything. Save:
Text messages, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs (screenshots + metadata)
Photos/videos of injuries or hazing activities
Fraternity/sorority documents (pledge manuals, schedules, emails)
Witness names and contact info (other pledges, bystanders)
Medical records (hospital bills, doctor’s notes, therapy records)

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity, University, or Their Lawyers

  • They will try to manipulate you. Fraternities and universities have teams of lawyers whose job is to minimize your claim.
  • Do not sign anything. They may try to get you to sign a waiver or settlement offer.
  • Do not post on social media. Anything you say can be used against you.

Step 4: Call Attorney 911 Immediately

The clock is ticking. In Iowa, you generally have 2 years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. Don’t wait.

📞 Call now: 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Free consultation: attorney911.com

🏛️ Why Guthrie County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now

  • We’re actively litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston.
  • We know how fraternities and universities operate. We’ve seen their playbook.
  • We’re not afraid to take them to court. If they won’t settle fairly, we’ll fight for you in front of a jury.

2. We’re Former Insurance Defense Lawyers

  • We know how insurance companies and fraternities try to avoid paying.
  • We used to defend them—now we fight for victims like you.
  • We know where the money is. National fraternities and universities have deep pockets and insurance policies that can cover your damages.

3. We Have a Proven Track Record of Big Wins

  • $10+ million in our current hazing case
  • Multi-million-dollar settlements in personal injury cases
  • Former BP Texas City explosion litigation (mass tort experience)
  • Federal court admission (we can sue national fraternities anywhere)

4. We’ll Travel to Guthrie County for Your Case

  • We’re based in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, but we serve clients nationwide.
  • We’ll come to Guthrie County for depositions, meetings, and trials.
  • We offer video consultations so you don’t have to travel.

5. We Work on Contingency—You Pay Nothing Upfront

  • No hourly fees. No retainers.
  • We only get paid if we win your case.
  • If we don’t recover money for you, you owe us nothing.

🎯 The Fraternities in Guthrie County Need to Be Put on Notice

To the fraternities operating near Guthrie County:

  • Pi Kappa Phi
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon
  • Pi Kappa Alpha
  • Beta Theta Pi
  • Phi Delta Theta
  • Kappa Sigma
  • Sigma Chi
  • And every other Greek organization

We are watching. We are coming for you.

The same legal strategies that won $10 million+ in other hazing cases apply to your chapters. If you haze students in Guthrie County, we will find every liable party—your national organization, your housing corporation, your alumni, and your individual members.

We already shut down Pi Kappa Phi’s UH chapter. Your chapter could be next.

📢 Guthrie County Parents: This Is Your Warning

If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority in Guthrie County, they are at risk. The same “traditions” that hospitalized our client in Houston exist in Iowa.

Ask yourself:
Does your child seem more anxious or withdrawn lately?
Have they stopped talking about their Greek life activities?
Are they suddenly exhausted, injured, or avoiding social events?
Do they seem afraid to talk about what’s happening?

If the answer is yes, they may be being hazed.

You trusted these organizations to keep your child safe. They betrayed that trust.

Now, trust us to hold them accountable.

🚨 Free Consultation for Guthrie County Hazing Victims

If your child was hazed in Guthrie County, Iowa, call us now.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

We’ll evaluate your case for free. You pay nothing unless we win.

Guthrie County families: The time to act is now.

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