Beer pong death wins family $15.6 million

BRIDGEPORT — The family of a Stratford man, who went flying out of a 4th floor window to his death after being accused of cheating at beer pong, has been awarded $15.6 million.

Yolanda Martinez broke into tears on the witness stand as she described for the Superior Court jury the loss her son, Salomon Martinez, caused not only to her but to her son’s wife and 4-year-old daughter.

“He was a wonderful son, husband and father who worked hard to support his family,” explained Martinez’s lawyer, Jeremy Virgil.

After a day of deliberation the six jurors apparently agreed ordering the rival beer pong players, Kyle Gonzalez, Matthew Chandler and Stephanie Dwyer to pay the award.

“We are happy with the result and glad the jury was able to make these people accountable for their actions,” Virgil said.

However, when the Martinez family will collect on the award is up in the air.

Chandler and Gonzalez, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault for Martinez’s death. Gonzalez is serving a 15-year prison term while Chandler was sentenced to 10 years.

Dwyer fled the state following the 2013 incident and is believed to be living in Florida.

On Jan. 16, 2013, Martinez had been invited to Dwyer’s apartment on Pond Street in Naugatuck to play a game of beer pong, a drinking game played with cups, ping pong balls and a table.

Police said a fight erupted after two men lost a $10 wager on the game and began accusing Martinez and others of cheating.

Bottles were thrown and a fish tank was shattered during the subsequent fight.

At some point Virgil said Chandler and Gonzalez chased Martinez up a set of stairs and into a child’s bedroom. He said Martinez tried to lock the door but Gonzalez broke the door down.

Martinez ended up going out a window to the cement sidewalk below.

Virgil said Naugatuck police, who were called to the scene of a disturbance at the Pond Street apartment building, questioned party goers but didn’t notice Martinez lying dead on the sidewalk. The police left but returned an hour later after the body was found, he said.

Gonzalez, who was brought from prison to testify, admitted he broke down the bedroom door but claimed when he got inside Martinez was already gone.