Mark Benson's Court Appearance and Drug Admission by John Jagler and Dan O'Donnell
Ambien, Xanax and Oxycodone allegedly provided a deadly mix for a former doctor who's now charged with vehicular homicide.
Mark Benson is accused of taking all three of those drugs before a crash last Friday that killed pregnant Oconomowoc High School associated principal Jennifer Bukosky, her unborn daughter, and her 10 year-old daughter Courtney Bella.
The Waukesha County District Attorney's Office has charged Mark Benson with three counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and two counts of injury by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle in the crash.
Click Here to read the criminal complaint
Court Commissioner Martin Binn set bail at $1 million.
"Based on Mr. Benson's record, the court finds cause to believe that he is a danger to our community," Binn said. "This court will not, it cannot, allow him to play Russian roulette with the lives of the citizens of Waukesha County when he gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle when he thinks it's appropriate."
According to a criminal complaint, Bukosky's "Honda Accord was struck from behind by [Benson's] Cadillac Escalade just after the light had turned green and before the Accord had started to move" on Highway 67 north of I-94 Friday.
Witnesses said Benson was "driving very fast" and "did not bother to slow down" before hitting Bukosky's car.
Bukosky, 39, died at the scene, and her daughter Courtney suffered "severe facial injuries, cranial injuries, and severe compression injuries to her chest. As a result of those injuries Courtney was determined to be brain dead and removed from life support" the following morning.
Bukosky's son Zachary, 12, was treated and released from the hospital with back and neck injuries. Courtney's friend Debbie remains in serious condition at Children's Hospital with a broken femur, broken jaw, and facial trauma.
Throughout his initial court appearance, Benson kept his head bowed and appeared to shake as the charges against him were read. More than one hundred Oconomowoc High School students attended the hearing, and many cried as they listened to the proceedings.
Past History of Drunk Driving by Vicky Hollowell and Jay Sorgi
Online court records indicate that two days before the crash, Benson pleaded guilty to his third drunk driving offense, had his license revoked, and was set to begin serving a 75-day jail sentence in early May.
"Makes me wonder how many chances you give somebody," said Steve Bukosky, Jennifer's father in-law.
Benson, a former doctor, also has a history of arrests for drug abuse, and he had to give up his medical license because of suspicion that he wrote himself fake prescriptions.
Father To Bury His Daughter by Vicky Hollowell and Jay Sorgi
Family and friends of Jennifer Bukosky and Courtney Bella are spending this week in mourning.
"Friday, I'll be burying my daughter," said Brad Bella, Jennifer Bukosky's ex-husband and Courtney Bella's father, who has a hard week ahead of him.
Bella says his daughter was tough and unique, describing her as a softball player with a softer side.
"She could be a girly-girl when she wanted to be. She played on a fast-pitch softball team so she got dirty when she needed to. She marched to the beat of her own drummer, and that's one of the things I loved about her.
"That little girl taught me a lot, about myself, about being a father, about what being a father to his daughter means."
Bella also praised his ex-wife.
"Jen was a wonderful woman. She was a tremendous mother, she was a very caring person, she was a dedicated educator."
A Family Devastated by Vicky Hollowell and Jay Sorgi
"It's very hard on my son. They were recently married," said Steve.
Especially hard when her husband Michael saw the little baby still inside his wife when she was killed.
"I met her for the first time today," Michael told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "She has her mother's lips and my nose and a head of blonde hair."
Sophie will have her own casket along with Jennifer, but the two will be buried together.
In the meantime, Michael said he'd remember how his wife would light up the people she was with at any moment.
"She wore a smile better than everyone else."
This weekend was supposed to be Jennifer's 40th birthday celebration.
"He had taken the kids out to buy balloons for the, so they still put them up in her memory," Steve explained.
Schools Mourning by Vicky Hollowell, Dan O'Donnell and Jay Sorgi
Monday was a difficult day for Oconomowoc High School students and teachers alike. Many wore white ribbons in Bukosky's honor.
"She's never going to be there again to see her smiling face in the hallway," said senior Sammi Gaffney. "That's the hardest part to realize that she's not there anymore. You can't go talk to her."
Grief counselors were on hand in the school's gym throughout the day to talk with mourning students.
"We understand how they feel, because many of us feel the same way, and there are going to be supports here for them," said Principal Joseph Moylan.
Bukosky's daughter, Courtney, attended Summit Elementary. Oconomowoc Superintendent Pat Neudecker, says teachers there will be helping counsel the students.
"In our fourth, fifth and sixth grade, the teacher will help students have a better understanding of what happened," states Neudecker.
Jenna Burnette grew up on Bukosky's block, and the Oconomowoc High freshman knew both Jennifer and Courtney.
"It's just sad to see a young girl not be able to live a full life."
The district e-mailed counseling plans to about three thousand families on Sunday night.
Click here to read the e-mail.
The high school will offer a space outside her office where they can leave a remembrance, while grief counselors and teachers will offer special service today.
Memorial Plans by Jay Sorgi
For Jennifer, Courtney and Sophie, two different wakes will happen at Pagenkopf Funeral Home, 1165 Summit Avenue in Oconomowoc:
• High school students and their parents who knew her: Wednesday, 4:00-8:00 p.m.
(Freshmen-sophomores 4:00-6:00 p.m., juniors-seniors 6:00-8:00 p.m.)
• Regular visitation: Thursday, 2:00-7:00 p.m.
Their funeral will happen Friday at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Jerome Catholic Church, 211 South Main Street in Oconomowoc.
Instead of flowers, the families have suggested donations to:
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
P.O. Box 51159
Milwaukee, WI 53203
The Oconomowoc School District has also put together a memorial fund in Jennifer's name. It's to help fund prevention of drugs and alcohol in the district.
Bukosky Fund/Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation
P.O. Box 444
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
