The following article was posted on www.wisn.com
Doctor, Police Officer Testify In Benson Hearing
POSTED: 4:01 pm CDT May 30, 2008
UPDATED: 8:01 pm CDT May 30, 2008
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. -- A doctor and police officer testified about Mark Benson's alleged drug use in a preliminary court hearing Friday, regarding the death of an Oconomowoc High School assistant principal, her daughter and unborn child in an accident police said Benson caused last month.
Benson, a former doctor, will stand trial on charges he killed Jennifer Bukosky. He will enter a plea at his next court hearing, which is set for July 14.
Benson had two previous drunken driving convictions and was in court for his third offense just two days before his SUV slammed into Bukosky's car. Police said Benson was high on prescription drugs when the crash occurred on Highway 67.
Oconomowoc police officer Rob Wiercyski testified that he interviewed Benson in the hospital after the crash.
"In here, he says that he did take two Xanax in the morning. About 30 minutes later, took two Ambien. He then took another two Xanax and another two Ambien," Wiercyski said. "He stated that he did not think he was impaired, and he thought the pills were fast-acting so they would leave his system sooner."
The prosecution asked a doctor what effect it would have on a person if all of the mentioned drugs were taken together.
"When you combine these drugs, they actually enhance each others' effect and actually cause an increasing sedative effect," Doctor Richard Tovar said. "Judgment is impaired. Reaction time is impaired. And all types of subtle things -- such as paying attention to traffic -- those things are all impaired."
Judy and Paul Jenkins, Bukosky's mother and stepfather, were in court for the hearing Friday.
"My feeling is that, how could he be anything else but impaired, taking all that medication? And perhaps if he wasn't impaired, the accident wouldn't have occurred," Judy Jenkins said.
The couple added that they aren't certain if Mark Benson is sorry for what happened.
"There has been no expression -- at least as far as we know -- from him about his killing three people, all our family, and that he has any remorse whatsoever," Paul Jenkins said.
Judy Jenkins is not expecting a change any time soon.
"I guess I'd like to think he had feelings, but I don't think an apology will ever come. So I'm not holding out hope," Judy Jenkins said.
However, the couple is hoping that some good will come from the tragic accident.
"I'd like to think that my daughter and two granddaughters didn't die in vain, and that some good will come out of this. We're working really hard with legislators to change laws. And until we feel... I don't think we'll feel safe until those laws are changed," Jenkins said.
The Jenkins are aware that "drugged" driving is tougher to prove than "drunk" driving and they told 12 News that they will be concerned until there is a conviction. They said that they trust "the truth will come out."
