STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Two Penn State students from Western Pennsylvania were chaged yesterday with misdemeanors in connection with the death of an 18-year-old freshman who fell onto a concrete stairwell after a night of drinking.

University and State College police also charged the Alpha Tau Omega and Phi Gamma Delta fraternities each with one count of selling or furnishing alcohol to minors and one count each of unlawful acts relative to alcohol.

Joseph Dado, a graduate of Greater Latrobe High, was found dead Sept. 21 about 75 yards from Phi Gamma Delta. An autopsy revealed Dado's blood alcohol level was 0.169, which is more than twice the legal limit for a 21-year-old to drive.

Facing the same charges are Jennifer Clifford, 21, of Richland, who authorities said bought vodka for Mr. Dado and Ms. Clifford's underage sister earlier in the weekend; and John Townsend, 21, who authorities said hosted Mr. Dado and his friends in his room at the Phi Gamma Delta house. Mr. Townsend and Mr. Dado were friends from home and had attended the same high school.

"Both police agencies have concluded that excessive consumption of alcohol played a major role in this tragic incident," the police departments said in a joint statement.

The defendants were to be mailed the charges by summons. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Dec. 2.

Authorities laid out this timeline in charging documents:

Ms. Clifford bought vodka for Mr. Dado on Sept. 18. Mr. Dado and several underage friends were drinking vodka at Mr. Dado's dorm room early the night of Sept. 19.

The group left Mr. Dado's room and arrived at Alpha Tau Omega after midnight on Sept. 20. They left about an hour later, stopping at the apartment of Mr. Dado's sister before arriving at Phi Gamma Delta.

Mr. Dado's three friends left about an hour later, leaving Mr. Dado behind after Mr. Dado had texted them that he was staying longer.

The friends realized the next morning that Mr. Dado had not returned home and called Mr. Townsend, who told them the freshman had left the fraternity about 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 20. According to police, Mr. Dado refused an offer from Mr. Townsend to stay at the house.

Authorities searched the campus and surrounding neighborhood before maintenance workers found the body the following afternoon at the bottom of the stairwell. The Centre County coroner ruled Mr. Dado died of head trauma.

The fraternities referred calls to their respective national organizations. Wynn Smiley, CEO of the Indianapolis-based Alpha Tau Omega national organization, said he hadn't seen the charges.

"We are certainly investigating. We don't believe any of our members did anything wrong at this point," Mr. Smiley said.

Bill Martin, executive director of the Phi Gamma Delta national organization in Lexington, Ky., said his office had seen a news release but not the charges and declined to comment on the local chapter's behalf.

In a statement, Mr. Townsend's attorney, Andrew Shubin, said his client was "enormously saddened by what happened . . . and wishes he had done things differently that night."

Mr. Shubin said the last month has been the "toughest and saddest period of (Mr. Townsend's) life . . . and believes deeply that this incident should be an important teaching moment for the rest of the Penn State community."

Ms. Clifford could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mr. Dado's father, Joseph Dado Sr., declined to comment.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.