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Jon Collins
St. Paul, Minn.

Charges filed for party that led to teen's death

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The Lac qui Parle County attorney has filed criminal charges against a father and son who hosted a party that preceded a high school student's death in cold weather earlier this month.

Prosecutors last week charged Erik Patrick Hastad, 19, with contributing to the delinquency of a child and violation of the county's social hosting law. His father, Gary Lee Hastad, 59, is charged with violating the social hosting law, although he was not present at the party.

Partygoers interviewed by police said that about 100 people attended a party at a farmhouse near Madison owned by Gary Hastad on March 9, according to the charges. News of the party spread through text messages and word of mouth, and partygoers included high school and college students.

When sheriff's deputies responded to a report of an underage drinking party at the farm, Michael Anyasike, 18, ran away from the busted party.

Authorites later found Anyasike, of Dawson, Minn., dead of hypothermia about a mile from the farm.

According to the charges, Eric Hastad should have known that some partygoers were under 21.

"Alcohol was present at the party and the defendant knew or reasonably should have known that individuals under the age of 21 will or did consume alcoholic beverages or was in possession of alcohol with the intent to consume it at the party," according to the criminal complaint.

The county's social hosting law makes it a crime to host a gathering without taking steps to ensure that those under the age of 21 do not drink alcohol.

"The defendant further failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the possession or consumption of alcohol by a person under the age of 21. Alcohol was left unattended at the party for any person to possess or consume," the complaint said.

Gary Lee Hastad owns the farm and lives about a half mile away. The charges against him note that those charged with violating the social hosting law do not need to be present at the event.

"Alcohol was present at the party and the defendant reasonably should have known that there were approximately 100 or more individuals at the above described property," according to the complaint.

County Attorney Rick Stulz has also charged six adults under the age of 21 with fleeing from law enforcement and underage drinking.

Stulz said Eric Hastad turned himself in to police on Monday morning. Neither he nor his father could be reached for comment.