Houghton County Deputy Cleared in Shooting

The Houghton County sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed a man in the line of duty last month won’t face any criminal charges.

That’s according to county prosecutor Douglas Edwards.

He says the danger that Deputy Mark Bukovich was in was so extreme that shooting 41-year-old Dan Bailey to death was the only option open to him.

It happened 3 weeks ago.

Deputy Bukovich was out on a neighborhood disturbance call on 6th Street in Osceola Township.

When he got there, Bailey hit him repeatedly with a golf club and kept hitting him after Bukovich shot him.

One of the bullets Bukovich fired ricocheted into his own right ankle.

The sheriff’s department says Bukovich is getting worker’s compensation benefits while he recovers at home.

He’s expected to return to work sometime early next year.