Student dies following fall

A 21-year-old University student was pronounced dead at Geisinger Medical Center yesterday morning, according to a State College Police Department news release.

Joseph A. Bettinger of Frackville, Pa., was unresponsive when police found him lying on the sidewalk on the 400 block of East College Avenue early Saturday morning, according to the release.

The Alpha Community Ambulance Service responded with a Centre Community Hospital paramedic to the scene, assisted by the University Ambulance Service. Bettinger was taken to Centre Community Hospital, then transported via helicopter to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, according to the news release.

His autopsy is scheduled for today at Geisinger Medical Center.

Witnesses in the area told State College police Bettinger appeared to be intoxicated and had been walking backward on the sidewalk when he lost his balance and fell to the ground, according to the news release.

However, all causes involving the death are still under investigation, and no single source has been cited by the State College police.

Bettinger was last seen at Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave. between midnight and 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning, according to the release.

Bettinger enrolled at the University this fall, said Margaret Bettinger, Joseph's mother. He previously received an associate degree from the Pennsylvania College of Technology, she added. He had not declared a major yet but did have an interest in architecture, she said.

"My son was a good boy, and you can ask anyone who knew him," Margaret Bettinger said. "He was not deserving of what happened to him."

State College police are asking for anyone who saw Bettinger in the vicinity of the 400 block of East College Avenue between 11:30 p.m. Friday night and 1:00 a.m. Saturday morning or who has information that might help their investigation to contact them at 234-7150.

Bettinger was described as a 6-foot, 170-pound white man wearing a dark, long-sleeved shirt, with a dark, short-sleeved shirt over it, blue jeans and black Sabres baseball cap, according to the release.