A Common Pleas judge has set the bail for a heavy equipment operator charged in a deadly Philadelphia building collapse at $1.5 million, NBC News reports.
During a demolition project, a four-story brick wall at 22nd and Market streets fell into an adjoining Salvation Army store on June 5. Six people were killed and 14 were injured.
Sean Benschop, a.k.a. Kary Roberts, was operating an excavator on the site at the time of the collapse. Investigators say that he was impaired by painkillers and marijuana, according to NBC News.
Benschop is facing six counts of involuntary manslaughter and 13 counts of reckless endangerment.
At Benschop’s preliminary hearing on June 26, the Common Pleas judge handed down a bail of $900,000 for the manslaughter charges and $650,000 for 13 counts of reckless endangerment.
He was previously held without bail. A grand jury is investigating whether anyone besides Benschop should be charged, NBC News reports.
If you or someone you know was injured in the Philadelphia building collapse at 22nd and Market, contact Lopez McHugh for a free consultation. We have a proven track record in the construction injury arena and experience dealing with contractors, subcontractors, and the wide variety of ways that construction companies attempt to turn a profit while avoid liability.
