Assailant in fight fatality is spared prison term

7/23/2004

FREMONT - A Sandusky County man who punched another man during an argument at a card game and triggered a fatal heart attack has avoided a prison term for the incident.

Brett Freeman, 40, was sentenced Wednesday to 30 days in jail and five years' supervised probation by Judge Harry Sargeant, Jr., of Sandusky County Common Pleas Court.

Freeman pleaded guilty in May to a charge of reckless homicide in the January, 2003, death of Johnny Sidney, 52, of Fremont. According to authorities, Mr. Sidney suffered a heart attack and was pronounced dead a short time later at Fremont Memorial Hospital.

Freeman could have been sentenced to as much as five years in prison.