OLYMPIA, Wash.-The Washington State Patrol has concluded its investigation into the carbon monoxide poisoning death of a 21-year-old Evergreen State College student in Dec. of 2023 and also released a timeline of the events.
Jonathon Rodriguez and two female students were found unresponsive in their on-campus apartment on Dec. 11. The two other students ultimately survived the carbon monoxide poisoning.
According to the WSP, its investigation found that carbon monoxide alarms in the apartment sounded in the early morning hours of Dec. 11, however, they were turned off by maintenance staff of the Evergreen State College who mistakenly thought the alarms were faulty and not sounding due to an actual leak.
A forensic engineering firm was brought in to assist the WSP in its investigation and determined that a newly installed water heater in the apartment with improperly installed intake and exhaust venting was the cause of the carbon monoxide leak, according to a WSP press release on its investigation.
The WSP investigated in the apartment, conducted interviews with those affected by the carbon monoxide poisoning and with witnesses before compiling its report on the incident.
The WSP’s report was then reviewed by the forensic engineering firm before being finalized.
“This was a tragic yet avoidable situation,” said WSP Chief John R. Batiste. “
Ultimately, the WSP concluded that three main elements led to the carbon monoxide poisoning, including:
A significant carbon monoxide leak occurred due to the improper installation and venting for a new tankless water heater in the on campus apartment.The carbon monoxide detectors that sounded on Dec. 11 should have been treated as a real event, rather than a faulty alarm.There was a lack of training or understanding of the fire alarms/carbon monoxide alarm systems by Evergreen State College employees and residence maintenance staff.
According to the WSP’s investigative timeline, the water heater was improperly installed on Dec. 4, with the following events happening a week later.
Carbon monoxide alarms began to sound at 5:41 a.m. on Dec. 11 and students then called Evergreen State College dispatch, who then contacted maintenance, who arrived at the apartment at 6:20 a.m.
At 6:30 a.m. maintenance checked the fire panel and confirmed the carbon monoxide alarm. At 8:07 a.m. the alarm panel was silenced, however, they began sounding again at 8:47 p.m.
The alarm panel was silenced and several resets were performed at 8:59 a.m. before the carbon monoxide alarms were removed from rooms at 9:20 a.m.
The security systems supplier arrived at Evergreen State College at 6:16 p.m. and the carbon monoxide devices were reinstalled and reset at 7 p.m.
At 7:29 p.m. the carbon monoxide alarm sounded again followed by a half hour of communications between the college and maintenance.
Maintenance advised dispatch that they were checking for a possible carbon monoxide leak at 8:04 p.m.
At 8:10 p.m. maintenance advised that they found two people in distress inside the apartment.
An Evergreen State College Officer arrived at 8:12 p.m. and started first aid for two students in one bedroom and another student in a different bedroom.
