Man to start jail time for homicide

The Poland man was sentenced to 60 days in the Struthers Municipal Jail.

staff report

STRUTHERS — The man convicted of negligent homicide in the December shooting death of an 18-year-old Poland woman begins serving his sentence this weekend in the city jail.

Daniel Buccino, 20, also of Poland, pleaded no contest to and was convicted May 9 of negligent homicide in Struthers Municipal Court in the December death of Marissa Plakosh, a 2007 Poland Seminary High School graduate.

Visiting Judge William Kobelak ordered Buccino to pay a $1,000 fine plus court costs and to serve 60 days in Struthers jail on 40 consecutive weekends beginning this weekend, a judgment entry from the court says.

Last December, Plakosh, an Ohio State University freshmen, was shot in the neck while in her home. Buccino, a long-time family friend, was at the Plakosh residence visiting Plakosh’s brother, Michael.

All three were in the same room, and Buccino was handling a loaded gun that discharged. Police called it an accidental shooting.

Neither Buccino nor members of the Plakosh family could be reached Friday. In an interview with the Vindicator last December, Marissa’s mother, Jeanne Plakosh, said that her son, also an OSU student, had bought the gun for protection after several break-ins on campus.

The two men were passing the gun around, believing the safety mechanism was on, Jeanne Plakosh had said.

The mother also called it an accidental shooting, saying, “Danny would never hurt anyone.”

The court entry says that Buccino may serve time on nonweekends in November, December and January if the time is scheduled in advance with Struthers Municipal Jail.

Buccino also will serve three years’ probation, and the judge ordered him not to consume alcoholic beverages or abuse drugs while on probation. He also must complete 96 hours of community service within two years.