The Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the death of an MSU student who died early Saturday morning after being struck by a vehicle.
The accident, which claimed the life of sophomore agribusiness major Kyle Giachelli, 20, of Indianola, occurred at 2:40 a.m. on St. Andrews Lane in the Highland Plantations development off Miss. Highway 182, according to a press release from the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department.
He died due to massive head trauma suffered during the accident, Oktibbeha County coroner Michael Hunt said.
Another MSU student, undeclared freshman Brittany “Alyssa” Strickland, 18, of Gulfport, was arrested and charged with DUI first offense. She was released on bond later Saturday morning.
In January the case will be presented to a grand jury, which will decide whether to press further charges, Oktibbeha County Sheriff Dolph Bryan said.
Giachelli, who was a member of MSU’s Beta Tau chapter of Kappa Alpha order fraternity, was a relaxed person, and everyone felt comfortable talking to him, KA president Andrew Saft said.
“Everybody remembers his smile,” he said.
Giachelli was very close to his family, Saft said.
“He went home often to farm with his parents,” he said.
One of his sisters, Lynsey Giachelli, is an MSU freshman.
“It’s a sad, sad situation,” Bryan said.
“Drinking situations occur often in Starkville, especially in that area, but thankfully they don’t often end in deaths,” he said.
Bryan said students should be careful when they drink. “And nobody involved in this is old enough to be drinking,” he added.
This is the first student death of the 2005-2006 school year. The university loses five to six students a year, and most of these deaths are related to a vehicular accident, dean of students Mike White said.
“There’s no more tragic death than that of a you person, especially when you lose a Mississippi State student,” White said. “There’s a great deal of sadness and shock.”
Several families have been affected by this tragedy, and the university is offering whatever support it can through counseling services. “We have attempted to identify students who were directly affected by this incident and who may need support from the university,” he said.
The Student Affairs response team, a group of SA professionals that respond to critical incidents of this type, will also offer its support, White said.
The entire Greek community gathered in front of the KA house Sunday night to hold a vigil in honor of Giachelli. It was a time for active members to come together and support each other, Saft said.
“I really want to thank all the students and the Greek community for their support,” he added.
As a father of three sons, White said this tragedy strikes close to home. Students, faculty and staff feel the effects when tragedies occur.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the students who are affected by this tragedy,” White added.
Services take place today at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Indianola.