Parents file suit in fatal fireworks prank

PEORIA, Ill., Aug. 10 (UPI) -- The parents of an Illinois college student who died when fireworks set his room ablaze are suing his former roommates and the home's owners, authorities said.

The wrongful death suit blames David Crady, 21, Ryan Johnson, 23, Daniel Cox, 22, Nicholas Mentgen, 23, and Mentgen's parents, Ronald and Jeanne Mentgen, for "willful and wanton misconduct" in the death of Sheridan Dahlquist in Aug. 12, 2007, the Peoria, Ill., Journal Star reported Monday.

Ronald and Jeanne Mentgen owned the home where Dahlquist and his friends lived. The lawsuit seeks $50,000 for each count of the 22-count lawsuit.

Crady, Cox, Johnson and Nicholas Mentgen pleaded guilty in January 2008 to to involuntary manslaughter and were sentenced to six months in jail. The four were convicted of shoving two Roman candles underneath Dahlquist's door, which blasted balls of fire into the room, prosecutors said.

The lawsuit filed Friday alleges Ronald and Jeanne Mentgen knew of underage drinking and the previous use of fireworks at the home. Dahlquist, Crady, Nicholas Mentgen and Johnson were members of the Bradley University soccer team.

Neither the Dahlquists nor anyone named in the suit were available for comment.