SIDNEY — The man accused of not stopping after an accident last August was found guilty after a jury trial was held in Shelby County Common Pleas Court this week.
According to court records, the jury found Kenneth Gene Burks, 49, of Sidney, guilty for failure to stop after an accident and they further found “the collision did cause serious physical harm to a person.”
The Sidney Daily News reported last August, according to a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office report, the two-vehicle accident happened at the intersection of Kuther and Schenk roads on Aug. 2, at 2:22 a.m.
Upon arrival, the investigating deputy spoke with occupants of both vehicles; however, the driver of the at-fault vehicle was gone. The deputy initially spoke with the driver of the other vehicle, John F. Reedy, 61, of Piqua, who had been driving a pickup truck. Reedy was injured and barely able to move. A passenger from the other vehicle, Kenneth G. Burks, 21, 10155 Schenk Road, identified the driver as his uncle, Kenneth Gene Burks. Houston Rescue personnel checked the area for Burks because of concern that he might be injured, but did not find him.
Preliminary investigation revealed the Reedy pickup truck was northbound on Kuther Road. The Burks car was westbound on Schenk Road. The car ran the stop sign and struck the truck. Kenneth G. Burks said they were coming from the Dog Pound Lounge in Sidney at the time of the crash. Burks refused treatment for his injuries at the scene. Reedy was transported by the rescue squad to Wilson Memorial Hospital. He was later transported to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.
Blood samples were to be taken from the interior of Burks car for evidence.
A deputy contacted Kenneth Gene Burks at his residence. He allegedly admitted being at Sharp’s bar, drinking “one beer” there, then going to the Dog Pound. He allegedly admitted running the stop sign. He said he didn’t remember anything after that. He said he wasn’t sure how he got home, but said the reason he ran was because he was scared. He said he was on his way to turn himself when the deputy arrived.
He was charged with failure to stop after an accident, as well as traffic control device in which he received a $25 fine and $111 costs, and reasonable control, $25 fine.
A date for sentencing has not been scheduled at this time.
