HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — The families of three James Madison University students who died in a car crash in 2023 have collected more than 2-million dollars in wrongful death lawsuits.

Believing the deaths of Joshua Mardis, John Fergusson and Nicholas Troutman to be the result of a fraternity event in West Virginia involving hazing, excessive drinking, and drug use, the families filed wrongful death lawsuits on June 29th in Henrico Circuit Court against the Pi Beta Chi frat, its founder John Marshall, and 35 of its members with each suit seeking 150-million dollars.

Last Friday, Henrico judge Richard Wallerstein approved a settlement between the plaintiffs and Vincent Coriaty and Garrett Stefanko, two former members of the fraternity.

Back in April of last year, the driver of the car that crashed on Route 259, Campbell Ryan Fortune, was sentenced to ninety days in jail for one count of negligent homicide and reckless driving.