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4 charged in prank mishap that killed Bradley soccer player
By Jan Dennis
Associated Press
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PEORIA -- Prosecutors charged four college students with arson Monday, saying they botched a fireworks prank and instead set a fire that killed a 19-year-old Bradley University soccer player as he slept in his room after a night of drinking.

The men could have faced first-degree murder charges, prosecutors said, but they didn’t mean to harm Sheridan “Danny” Dahlquist and in fact tried to rescue him during Sunday morning’s blaze.

“They intended for their friend to run outside in his underwear, going ‘What the hell happened,”‘ said Kevin Lyons, the Peoria County prosecutor. “I’m quite certain that every person I know could put themselves in the shoes of the defendants.”

Nicholas Mentgen, 21, Ryan Johnson, 22, David Crady, 19, and 20-year-old Daniel Cox each were charged with two counts of aggravated arson and one count of possession of an explosive or incendiary device.

Dahlquist, a sophomore on Bradley’s soccer team, was found near a window in his bedroom, suggesting he tried to escape, prosecutors said. He died of carbon monoxide toxicity due to smoke inhalation after the fire in the West Peoria home he shared with Mentgen, Johnson and Crady, county Coroner Johnna Ingersoll said.

The four men lit two roman candles under Dahlquist’s bedroom door as an apparent prank after a night of drinking, Lyons said. They then tried to rescue Dahlquist through both a door and second-story window when they saw the roman candles had started a fire but were turned back by intense heat, Lyons said.

The men need to be held accountable, Lyons said.

“I don’t want to make five tragedies out of one tragedy, but I also understand that we have to have consequences for our actions,” Lyons said.

Mentgen, Johnson and Crady also are members of Bradley’s soccer team, Lyons said. He said Cox is a friend of the soccer players who attends Illinois Central College in nearby East Peoria.

Bradley sports information director Bobby Parker said Monday night that the athletic department had just learned of the charges, but will review the players’ status with the team.

Peoria County Judge Kevin Galley set bond at $500,000 for each of the four men during a hearing on Monday. Peoria County Public Defender Thomas Penn Jr. sought bond of no more than $200,000, saying the tragedy was a prank that went wrong.

Penn did not immediately return a call for comment after the hearing.

The four men remained jailed Monday night and are scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing Sept. 13.

If convicted, the men each face six to 30 years in prison on the aggravated arson charge, a felony that does not qualify for probation. Each also faces up to 30 years in prison on the explosives charge, which includes probation as an option.

Dahlquist graduated from Peoria Notre Dame High School in 2006, and helped the school win its first Class A state soccer title in 2004.

Both of his parents work for the university.

“The Dahlquist family is moved by the many expressions of love and support they have received ... Please continue to hold them in your prayers,” said William Engelbrecht, Bradley’s vice president of advancement.

He declined to comment on the investigation, asking reporters to “respect the privacy of the family, soccer team and athletic staff.”

Lyons said the four men initially gave police conflicting accounts of the incident, trying to duck responsibility for the fire.

He said investigators later determined that the men had been involved in a similar prank two days before, and set off a roman candle under Dahlquist’s door earlier Sunday that failed to ignite.

They returned and lit two more, shooting off up to 16 balls of fire burning at about 1,500 degrees that ignited a wall across from the door, Lyons said.

Dahlquist was asleep in bed after a night of drinking when the explosives were set off, but was found on the floor near a window, indicating he awoke and tried to escape the fire that destroyed the bedroom and its contents, Lyons said.

Prosecutors say another roommate was arrested but later released after authorities determined he was asleep in a downstairs bedroom when the fire broke out.

Take a look
West Peoria firefighters investigate the scene of an early morning house fire Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007, that killed Bradley University sophomore Sheridan "Danny" Dahlquist, 19, in West Peoria, Ill. Three of Dahlquist's roommates were being held Monday in the Peoria County Jail. Officials would not say why they're in custody, but Peoria County Sheriff Mike McCoy said the men are considered "persons of interest" and that prosecutors are reviewing the case.(AP Photo/Journal Star, Adam Gerik)
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Reader comments on this story - 39 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Re: JTE wrote on Aug 15, 2007 3:39 PM:

" You took the words right outta my mouth. Thank-you! "

JTE wrote on Aug 14, 2007 3:31 PM:

" Being and accident does not absovle any one of the consequences of their actions. Intentional or not, if you fail to take reasonable precautions or take unreasonable actions which cause someone else loss or pain, you should be held accountable. I see this "it was an accident" in this forum every time there's an auto crash too. I don't care that you didn't mean to kill someone. The point is that you did not take reasonable care to ensure you didn't, and you should pay for that. "

arson is no prank wrote on Aug 14, 2007 3:29 PM:

" I guess it was inevitable, in our "no fault" society, that some are already thinking the "pranksters" should not be charged with anything serious. But intentionally setting a fire, on a property not their own, makes what these unthinking hooligans did a serious crime, much more than a simple prank. Add to that, most importantly, the fact a life was lost makes for a compelling case against the accused. "

Mac Daddy wrote on Aug 14, 2007 3:27 PM:

" 2 of the 4 were under 21. So how were the underage people drunk?Why doesn't the DA go after the persons serving the alcohol? "

Pontiac, IL wrote on Aug 14, 2007 2:21 PM:

" IT is truly very sad what happen to Danny. As a parent of kids that age I can feel for the Mom and Dad that lost their son and for the parents of the 4 men that caused Danny's death to happen. Is was a prank a bad prank. Those boys did not intentionaly set out to hurt their friend. If they do not get sent to prison over this they will still pay for this for the rest of their lives. It will be in their thoughts every day they breathe and live. Yes they are of age to be adults and act like adults but when they are still in college are they really adults yet? Especially when the majority of our young adults go to college are still relying on the parents to pay for them and there schooling. We as parents are still responsible for them. My prayers go out to everyone involved. "

W.C. Fields wrote on Aug 14, 2007 2:13 PM:

" So the three defendants woke up the next day sober and stupid ?? "

A prank wrote on Aug 14, 2007 1:59 PM:

" A prank is hiding your friend's cell phone or putting salt in the sugar jar. Shoving lighted fireworks under the door of a sleeping person is not a prank; it is criminal stupidity. If they're guilty, send the bums to prison- not for life, but for at least 5 years. If that ruins their lives, so be it. Maybe some lives deserve to be ruined. "

ban wrote on Aug 14, 2007 1:27 PM:

" this is why we should ban drinking now, i love the bar food but cant stand the idiots drinking in them. now i can eat without smoke or drinking. comon illinois, make it happen "

It's no accident... wrote on Aug 14, 2007 1:04 PM:

" ...when alcohol is involved. Much like the tragic aftermath of a drunk driving crash involving young people (or anyone, for that matter), this will be a defining moment in the lives of all family and friends involved. These young men will never be the same again. "

X wrote on Aug 14, 2007 12:35 PM:

" To kdoashr: I read your post, the one before yours and all the others. I hear what you are saying. I do. However.... the "witnesses" as you called them, well, they did nothing to stop it. I mean, come on. If you were a witness, do you think something would click in your mind that pulling this "prank" was a bad idea? Would you stand up and say, Hey guys, this isn't right. Don't do this. And if they don't listen, will you walk away? Who knows what any of us would really do, sure, so it's hard to say, put yourself in their shoes. I can't say for sure what I would do, but I know straight up, I wouldn't just stand there and watch. I know booze was involved, and that makes this all the more sad, but not sad because they were stupid but sad because they thought they were cool enough and drunk enough to pull off such a stunt, and a young kid lost his life for it. "

not just 1 life ruined wrote on Aug 14, 2007 12:18 PM:

" Besides having to carry the weight of having caused the death of a friend and classmate, and possible jail time, those involved will also likely face considerable civil lawsuit judgments. They may not even be able to finish college. I would be surprised if any of them continue their "studies" at Bradley. One thing is probable- more than 1 life was ruined the other night. "

livingston county wrote on Aug 14, 2007 12:00 PM:

" first off hats off to then the Peoria prosecutors office. A man lost his life in a prank gone bad. They didnt waste any time making arrest. It took less than one day. Travis Steidinger lost his life in Livingston County with A prank gone bad.there was even two Livingston County Deputies involved. Neither one of them are employed as deputies anymore. Point is its been six months since his death. The prosecutrors and the police know all the players involved and nobody has been charged with any thing. So Livingston County should go over to peoria county to get the proper training on how to arrest and prosecute criminals, because they dont have a clue. "

bert to kdoashr wrote on Aug 14, 2007 11:45 AM:

" when people die from stupidity and drinking it is not an accident...its drunken stupidity...that buys you no pass.....whether they lit the fuse or stood by and laughed they are just as culpable and deserve whatever their given which frankly won't be enough for snuffing someone early "

I UNDERSTAND wrote on Aug 14, 2007 11:11 AM:

" THAT IT WAS JUST A PRANK, BUT WHAT YOU ALL NEED TO REMEMBER IS THAT SOMEONE DIED!! THAT IS THE REAL ISSUE HERE. THEY ALL DO NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. EVEN THE ONES WHO JUST WATCHED, THAT COULD HAVE STOPPED IT! "

Oh Please wrote on Aug 14, 2007 11:09 AM:

" Why is this regarded as a mishap, an accident. Did they intend to kill their friend, NO! But, they did light the firework, it didn't light itself. Fireworks are illegal in ILLINOIS. Every year around the 4th of July we are shown on major networks about the dangers of mishandling fireworks, DUH!!!!!!!! "

A Reader wrote on Aug 14, 2007 10:56 AM:

" Personally, i don't like pranks in general. Regardless, I know some people get quite a kick out of them, and it's sad that this one was the result of alcohol induced stupidity. The "mastermind", I feel, is only as responsible as the competent adults who acted on his idea. I do agree, however, that there are better ways to hold these boys accountable than to send them to prison for the rest of their lives. I hope the prosecutors/judge/whomever, will be creative...AA for starters, maybe community service in a burn unit. Make sure they learn from their mistake, don't just throw them away for the rest of their lives. "

kdoashr wrote on Aug 14, 2007 10:17 AM:

" before anyone post another comment on this board you should read this message below. ok just to get everyone on this message board straight. i knew some of the guys that did this. i think it is terrible what they did. i really feel sorry to hear about this. i pray for the family of the victims. this was an accident though and it was their friend and roommate caught in that fire. i dont think locking all of them up can solve anything. not all of them did it. i am pretty confedent that only one or two of them actually pulled the prank. but the other 2 or 3 just watched it happen. it is not right to ruin their lives for something they did not do. and i think that anybody could put themselves in those 2 or 3 people shoes. how would you feel if someone wanted to ruin your life for something you just witnessed. I say punish the one that pulled the prank. but also remember it was an accident. "

These were not children wrote on Aug 14, 2007 10:12 AM:

" If this was my son I don't think I could be quite so understanding as we are being told we should be. At the very best this prank would have caused extensive property damage, terrible physical burns to the victim or even a life time of blindness. And that was assuming that he had survived the prank. These boys were old enough to know better, drunk or not and should have thought of these things. I feel so much sadness for the boys family, I hope some justice is done. "

To: To Overzealous Prosecutor wrote on Aug 14, 2007 10:01 AM:

" Get a life. Like you have never played a prank that went wrong. Like you thought something would be funny and it turns out that it wasn't. Now I know a life has been lost, but can you imagine how these boys will already be ruined for life because of this...let alone 6 years in prison (minimum) and some of you are asking for life. Think back about mistakes you made as a kid. Sorry for the loss of life, but we do not need 4 more losses too. "

Choices wrote on Aug 14, 2007 9:23 AM:

" If drinking turns you into an idiot, then you shouldn't drink. It's about time people are held accountable for their choices so they learn to make better ones. Sorry it takes such a tragedy for some people to learn. "

X wrote on Aug 14, 2007 9:17 AM:

" Please tell me, who in their right mind would think it's okay to light roman candles and shove them under a door as a prank? Good lord. Those things let off heat to what degree? I'm sorry for the families, but I'm not sure I agree with the charges. "

also to wlgt wrote on Aug 14, 2007 9:15 AM:

" I agree with you. I have 5 boys, 3 are college age. I pray that they know better but when with a group of their peers, a lot of kids will get caught up in the moment and go along with the group. These boys should have known better but this tragedy reminds us that we can never be too sure. I'll be using this story as a lesson to my own sons that pranks can go wrong, VERY wrong! God bless the family of the young man who died and also to the young men who made a tragic mistake. "

To Overzealous Prosecutor wrote on Aug 14, 2007 9:14 AM:

" "One life has been lost" ........ You sound as if 'one life' is no big deal. Think before you speak. Your post is insensitive to the family, friends and other readers. "

THIS is outrageous... wrote on Aug 14, 2007 9:07 AM:

" I understand these men need to be held accountable, BUT this was an accident. I know that my friends and I have done similar drunken college stunts. They should have used more discretion, BUT 60 YEARS IN PRISON?!?!? What is wrong w/ this country??? A child molester gets 10 years and 3 guys who ACCIDENTALLY cause their friends death get 60?! My deepest condolences to the Dahlquist family, but give these guys probation, they'll have to live w/ this the rest of their lives. "

says it all wrote on Aug 14, 2007 9:03 AM:

" "after a night of drinking" "

Majortity Rules wrote on Aug 14, 2007 9:02 AM:

" I see why fireworks are illegal now. While I am against the illegalization of fireworks...I understand that actions like this ruin it for the many of us whom understand common sense, and the safety and respect of others. "

Overzealous Prosecutor... wrote on Aug 14, 2007 8:56 AM:

" Felony possession of an explosive? Felony aggravated arson? "Could have been charged with first degree murder?" This is silly. Charge them with involuntary manslaughter, that's what happened. Good thing they weren't caught with ecstasy - firing squad would be in order. One life has been lost. Sending these 4 kids to prison for 30 years isn't going to help. Prayers to the family... "

Prayers to all wrote on Aug 14, 2007 8:45 AM:

" Prayers to all the families involved! "

Common Sense wrote on Aug 14, 2007 8:12 AM:

" I realize these young men were doing a prank, but common sense should have told them not to do it, since the roman candles are considered a type of fireworks. As "A Reader" states, it is heartbreaking to see such a thing happen. My heart goes out to all of the families and even to the ones being charged. They have to live with what happened for the rest of their lives. "

Joe wrote on Aug 14, 2007 8:09 AM:

" What the heck did these guys think a Roman candle would do going off in a closed room...I could see maybe a firecracker or something but a Roman candle shoots out balls of fire. Yes, many of us have done things that could of ended up in tradegy but this was plain stupid. "

to wltg... wrote on Aug 14, 2007 7:43 AM:

" I presume you meant as the victim for the vast majority of us... - children playing with fire and fireworks indoors are two common sense lessons that I didn't even need to be taught - that's intuitive. avoidable tragedies involving our youth are the worst kind. "

The mastermind wrote on Aug 14, 2007 6:52 AM:

" Whoever came up with this idea to shoot roman candles should be sent to prison for life. If only to protect other innocent people from his lack of common sense and dangerously poor judgement. "

just a thought again wrote on Aug 14, 2007 6:39 AM:

" I'm not anti-defense or anti-constitutional rights. I'm just aware of how the search for the truth gets skewed according to privilege. "

wltg wrote on Aug 13, 2007 11:31 PM:

" but for the grace of god many of us could have been one of the people involved.... "

to just a thought wrote on Aug 13, 2007 9:49 PM:

" Yes, that's true. We've heard from the prosecutor. They are also entitled to a defense, as irritating as that may be for some people. "

pranks wrote on Aug 13, 2007 9:06 PM:

" How sad that this has to still happen in these times... "

just a thought wrote on Aug 13, 2007 8:51 PM:

" A tragedy. This story will read differently in the future after defense attorneys get hold of it. "

good sense wrote on Aug 13, 2007 8:42 PM:

" Mr. Lyons sounds like a man with some common sense, understanding it was an avoidable tragedy but not one with intent to cause death. Prayers to the family for their loss. "

A Reader wrote on Aug 13, 2007 8:35 PM:

" Heartbreaking. "
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