College: Former student caused $400K in damage during prank

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A university in Alabama has sued a former student who they said participated in a prank that caused more than $400,000 in damage to a fraternity house where he lived.

The federal lawsuit filed this week by Samford University alleges John Brody Cantrell and his friend, Christopher Wilson, went to the attic of the Sigma Chi fraternity house to play a prank on other fraternity members in April 2019, AL.com reported.

While they were in the attic, the lawsuit said Wilson stepped on and damaged a pipe, causing it to be ruptured and flood the building. He was not named as a defendant.

The lawsuit accuses Cantrell of breach of duty and negligence. The school said he “owed a duty of care to use and occupy” the fraternity house to not harm the university’s property.

The school is requesting a jury trial in the case. Efforts to reach Cantrell by the newspaper were unsuccessful.