Man Accused of Tailgating and Shooting Into Moving Vehicle on US 51 Deemed Competent for Trial

Wednesday, September 25th, 2024 -- 11:00 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) The man accused of tailgating and shooting into a moving vehicle on US 51 last year has been deemed competent for trial and approved to represent himself pro se.

According to Mike Leischner with WSAU, Bennie Green was in a Marathon County courtroom on Tuesday where officials revealed that he is now competent for trial. The 42-year-old had been deemed incompetent in December 2023 and again last April.

Green will also represent himself at trial with Attorney Jay Kronenwetter on standby. Green faces more than a dozen charges including attempted homicide, recklessly endangering safety, OWI, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

He also faces some drug-related charges. He’s being held on a half-million-dollar bond and faces a mandatory life sentence if found guilty on the homicide count alone. Other charges carry between 10 and 12 years in prison.

Investigators say he had been tailgating the vehicle in the northbound lanes of US 51 before pulling up alongside and firing two shots from his car into theirs. One person was hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries in the incident.

It remains unclear if the family of five had any prior connection to Green before the incident. Court records show Green has also withdrawn his request for a speedy trial. Further court action is scheduled for November 21st.

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