A UW Madison student and Iraq war veteran has been charged with killing his mother in Lincoln County this summer, a crime which may have been motivated by a desire to collect a life insurance settlement. Prosecutors have charged Chase Boruch with first-degree intentional homicide in the June 6th death of his mother Sally Mae Pergolski.
Lincoln County Sheriff Jeff Jaeger said Boruch may have killed his mother to collect on her life insurance. “There were several life insurance policies taken out,” prior to Pergolski’s death, although he wouldn’t speculate on whether than played a role. Boruch called 911 after he and his mother crashed into Moraine Lake in his truck. He pulled her to shore where she died. Jaeger says Pergolski’s death was a homicide, based on a pathologist’s report which indicated she sustained a hypoxia brain injury at least two hours before the 911 call was made.
And Jaggier said the story that Chase Boruch told police about his mother drowning doesn’t match the evidence. “Even though Mr. Boruch had indicated that he had conducted CPR on Sally, the responding deputy found Sally face down along the shoreline,” he said. And the water level was just over the rocker panels on Boruch’s truck. “Those were a couple things that raised some questions with us.”
Police arrested Boruch at his Madison apartment Monday night. He will make an initial court appearance on Wednesday afternoon.
Matt Lehman, WSAU