OCONOMOWOC DOC's PILL PUSHER

Special to the Readers of Milwaukeeworld.com

By Michael Horne

Mark M. Benson, the "Oconomowoc Doc," was on his way to "Dave's Pharmacy," when he caused the fatal car crash on Friday, April 25th, 2008 that killed Jennifer Bukosky, her daughter and her unborn child. According to the criminal complaint filed in Waukesha County Court in case 2008CF000394, Benson told City of Oconomowoc Police officer Cristian Harnisch he was "on way to Dave's Pharmacy to pick up six Cialis and six Viagra. He states he uses Dave's Pharmacy because Dave is aware of his history of sometimes taking too many pills. ... He stated he had been using his hands-free phone and he was 99% sure that just before the accident he was trying to call Dave's to check on his prescription." [Emphasis added.--Ed.]
The MilwaukeeWorld Hound Dog Team has determined that "Dave's Pharmacy" is a regional colloquialism for "The Prescription Center Pharmacy," 888 E.Thackeray Trail, Suite 101, Oconomowoc, less than one mile from the site of the crash.
The registered agent for the business, established in 1994, is David L. Eichstaedt, whose Wisconsin Pharmacy License, 10506-40, granted in 1984, is good through May 31st, 2008. You'd imagine he might find some difficulty renewing his license if he indeed is aware of his customers' "history of sometimes taking too many pills." It doesn't help that Benson's afternoon visit to the pharmacy was the second of the day. According to the summons and complaint cited above, Benson "had filled one Xanax and one Ambien that very day. Each was for 30 pills and he had on hand 25 pills of each on his person." Benson admitted he had started the day with a 20 mg. OxyContin, two Xanax and two Ambien. That was followed by two more of each -- by 10 a.m. When the police detective noted he had only 25 pills remaining, Benson admitted he may have taken three pills during one of the rounds of a.m. pill-popping. The Hound Dog has called the Department of Regulation and Licensing to see how they handle matters like this.
However, ethical pharmacist Jim Searles of the Brady Street Pharmacy said "oh, he could lose his license," when informed of the comments made by Benson regarding his pharmacist's practices. Searles added that he and other pharmacists take pains to avoid overdispensing to potentially troubled customers like Benson. "Believe me, we contact each other when we find customers trying to fill excessive quantities of prescriptions," he said.