Man sentenced to prison for reckless homicide

LANCASTER – A 22-year-old man convicted of reckless homicide after punching his neighbor near their apartments in the 300 block of West Wheeling Street on Aug. 19 was sentenced to three years in prison.

A jury found Travis Burnett, of Lancaster, guilty of reckless homicide, a third-degree felony, and a misdemeanor assault charge on June 11 after two days of deliberation on the case. Both charges merged for purposes of sentencing. Fairfield County Judge Richard Berens sentenced Burnett to a maximum sentenced of three years in prison on Monday.

Burnett was originally accused of murdering his neighbor, 51-year-old Steven Reid, whom he barely knew. The pair argued on Aug. 19 and Burnett admitted to investigators that he punched Reid, who fell from his bicycle, hitting his head on the curb. Reid suffered blunt force head trauma from the contact with curb and died the following day.

Burnett was acquitted on a murder charge and one count of involuntary manslaughter. Jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on a second involuntary manslaughter charge.