RIVER VALE– A local man convicted of assaulting fellow students at his Massachusetts college while under the influence of alcohol is suing the school for failing to uphold underage drinking laws.
Dillon Destefano, now 22, pleaded guilty in 2014 to punching three classmates at Endicott College in Beverly, The Salem News reported. The victims suffered injuries including a split lip and a dislocated jaw.
When he was sentenced, Destefano blamed the attacks on alcohol and on performance-enhancing drugs he’d also consumed.
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In his lawsuit, filed earlier this month, Destafano said the school and its president, Richard Wylie, are ultimately responsible for Destefano’s behavior under Massachusetts’s social host liability law. Destefano, who was 19 at the time of the assaults, also states his 21-year-old roommate was allowed to keep alcohol in their dorm room.
Destefano, who according to the suit enjoyed an exemplary record before the attacks, is seeking damages for the loss to his reputation and for pain and suffering.
Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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