SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) - The 21-year-old winner of a competition to drink the most tequila died Monday and three other contestants were gravely ill in the hospital, officials said.
Ricardo Garcia drank more than 50 shots of tequila Sunday night at a Santo Domingo disco to win the prize worth $400 Cdn at a Mexican night celebration.
But he was taken ill, hospitalized and died within hours, apparently from heart failure brought on by alcohol poisoning, said public prosecutor Jose Hernandez Peguero.
Three other contestants remained in serious condition in the hospital, family members said.
"The doctors told me that they were reserving their prognosis but that all his vital signs were under control," said Santiago Abreu, father of contestant Edilberto Abreu.
Ricardo Garcia drank more than 50 shots of tequila Sunday night at a Santo Domingo disco to win the prize worth $400 Cdn at a Mexican night celebration.
But he was taken ill, hospitalized and died within hours, apparently from heart failure brought on by alcohol poisoning, said public prosecutor Jose Hernandez Peguero.
Three other contestants remained in serious condition in the hospital, family members said.
"The doctors told me that they were reserving their prognosis but that all his vital signs were under control," said Santiago Abreu, father of contestant Edilberto Abreu.
