Rockville College Student Dies After Fight With Fraternity Brother

ROCKVILLE, MD — A Rockville man died Friday after a fight with a member of his fraternity at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, with some witnesses saying the victim was choked until he collapsed Friday night. Caleb Zweig, 20, a graduate of Thomas Wootton High School, fought with fellow Phi Delta Theta member Brady DiStefano, 19, then became unresponsive.

Zweig, an English major, was pronounced dead at Indiana Regional Medical Center. IUP student Brady DiStefano, 19, was charged with aggravated assault. A prosecutor told The Washington Post the two men apparently fought on the street near the university campus.

According to the charges, a witness told police that DiStefano was on top of an unconscious Zweig, and that DiStefano began to strangle him. The witness said he “pulled DiStefano off Zweig and began to render aid to Zweig” before an ambulance arrived, reports the Indiana Gazette.

An autopsy to determine Zweig's cause of death was inconclusive, said Indiana County Coroner Jerry Overman Jr. He has not ruled on the cause or manner of death.

“We couldn’t see any visible injuries at this time, so we’re waiting for results of toxicology and other tests from the autopsy to see what we’ll know,” Overman told the Indiana Gazette.

On Facebook friends recalled Zweig as a warm and caring friend who had helped rescue a woman from a serious car crash in October 2015.

"He was a hero to me, he was a hero to all," wrote Facebook user Zaid Islam.

"The image of you smiling and laughing is the only thing racing through my mind. My prayers and sincere condolences to the Zweig family, and Joshua C. Zweig an amazing brother stay strong and fight on in his memory," wrote Mariah Wilson-Adams on Facebook. "Love you Caleb, you will never be forgotten only deeply missed.

Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity said it "was deeply concerned and saddened by the tragic passing of Brother Caleb Zweig. We offer our deepest condolences to Caleb’s family and friends, the Men of Pennsylvania Lambda, and the IUP Greek Community on the loss of Brother Zweig."