Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Culture > News

American University Frat Faces Over 100 Alcohol Citations

Pi Kappa Alpha, one of American University’s off-campus fraternity houses, hosted a party in January that was so ridiculous, people are still talking about it.

The 30 police officers it took to bust the party found 200 students on just the first floor of the frat. By the time they finished scouring the whole house, they had discovered over 50 more partygoers. WUSA9, a local Maryland news outlet, reports that the unfortunate souls under 21 tried to seek refuge from the police by hiding under beds, in the garage or in closets. Let WJLA paint a picture for you here: “…the conditions were repellent, dark, and rowdy; alcohol dripped through the floor boards, while the indoor air temperature was estimated at around 100 degrees.” Ugh.


Tyler Steinhardt, the 22-year-old host of the party, is currently facing 110 counts of providing alcohol to minors. According to Cosmopolitan, Steinhardt probably won’t have to pay the full fine for every count ($2,500 per partygoer…you do the math). Lucky for Steinhardt, serving alcohol to minors is not a criminal offense in Maryland, so he only faces civil offenses.

Police tested the super-hot air with a breathalyzer test. The results? .09, which is higher than the legal level of intoxication for a Maryland driver. Meaning, the air at the party alone was too drunk to drive. At least this party wasn’t horrifyingly racist or part of a hazing ritual?

Talk about a crazy Friday night.

Temple University, 2019. Magazine journalist and editor, fitness instructor, health and wellness enthusiast. Proponent of lists, Jesus, and the Oxford comma. Will do anything for an iced oatmilk latte. Follow my journey: Twitter + Instagram: @sarah_madaus