The following article was posted on www.gmtoday.com
Benson posts $500,000 bail
Driver accused in fatal crash 'no less dangerous,' Bukosky's family says
Posted: Feb. 21, 2009
WAUKESHA - Only a day after having his bail cut in half, former physician Mark Benson posted $500,000 at the Waukesha County Courthouse for his release.
Circuit Court Judge J. Mac Davis granted a motion Thursday afternoon to reduce Benson's bail from $1 million to $500,000. Benson, 56, of the town Summit, is facing two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, a count of homicide of an unborn child by intoxicated use of a vehicle and a count of operating after revocation. The charges came after the April 25 crash that killed former Oconomowoc High School Associate Principal Jennifer Bukosky, her daughter, Courtney Bella, 10, and Bukosky's unborn child.
Detective Steve Pederson of the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department said he was not sure who posted the bail, but that it was posted around 2:30 p.m. Friday.
The parents of Jennifer Bukosky expressed their displeasure Friday that the man accused of killing their daughter and other family members was released from jail.
"We are real disappointed in the whole thing," said Bukosky's father, Paul Jenkins, of Mequon. "He's no less dangerous. He is no less likely to flee. All those things were in place months ago and why the judge decided to allow him to make bail here now is beyond us."
Jenkins said the family felt it was a "forgone conclusion" that Benson would be freed after Benson's bail was reduced. He said the family knew Benson would be able to make a half-million-dollar bail "or he wouldn't have been asking for it."
"We don't understand what's different today or yesterday than six or eight months ago," Jenkins said.
