College Students Involved in Party That Led to Mass Overdose Could Be Expelled

Oct. 11, 2010 — -- The students involved in an off-campus party in Washington state that resulted in 12 young people suffering possible overdoses of a date-rape drug may face expulsion for violating the university's code of conduct.

Authorities today were trying to determine who organized the party that may have been part of a larger date-rape scheme. As many as 50 students attended the Roslyn, Wash., party that occurred 30 miles away from Central Washington University, where many of the partygoers are students, according to Rosyln-Cle Elum police.

But what began as a typical college party soon spiraled out of control when 12 students -- most of whom are believed to be female -- were rushed to the hospital after suffering apparent overdoses.

Authorities have said they believe some sort of drug was surreptitiously slipped into the victims' drinks but found no evidence of drugs during a search of the home.

Now police and university officials are meeting to determine how to proceed with interviewing the students who attended the party.

"Central University has a student conduct code that students are held to no matter where they are in the world," said Linda Schactler, the director of public affairs at the university.

"What we are going to do is talk to each student and there might be repercussions," said Schactler. "If they were underage and they were drinking that's against state law and university policy."

Students' punishments could range from mandatory alcohol education class to suspension or expulsion, according to Schactler.

Roslyn-Cle Elum Police Chief Scott Ferguson told ABC News that there were no new updates on the investigation today, but said that officials are still working to determine who threw the party and why drugs were involved.

"We suspect that again that these drugs were introduced to these students," Ferguson said earlier this weekend. "Probably without their knowledge."

"Many of the victims are women and police want to know if they were targeted specifically," said Ferguson.

Toxicology reports aren't expected to be returned from the state's crime lab for weeks.