Wheaton police probing college student's death at track meet
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Ethan Roser Courtesy of the Roser family
The Wheaton College student who died Saturday after being struck in the head during a hammer throw was standing off the field of play during pre-event warmups when the accident occurred, police said Monday.
Ethan Roser, 19, a freshman from Loveland, Ohio, was volunteering at a CCIW track and field event hosted by the college when he was struck by the errantly tossed 16-pound hammer. He was taken to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, where he was pronounced dead at 5:17 p.m.
The DuPage County coroner's office said Monday the preliminary cause of death was related to head trauma.
Police said their investigation is continuing "to provide a clearer picture" of the events leading to Ethan's death.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call Wheaton police Lt. Robert Miller at (630) 260-2073.
The son of missionaries and the youngest of four children, Ethan grew up in Zimbabwe before his family moved back to the U.S. when he was 10.
He was involved in the Young Life organization at Wheaton and was a member of the soccer team.
A memorial service is scheduled for 5 p.m. April 30 at Hope Church in Mason, Ohio.
