A Kent County judicial candidate has suspended his campaign amid disclosure he was treated for a drug overdose nearly two weeks ago at his Ada home.
Attorney Benjamin J. Symko, 38, is on the November ballot for a newly-created position in the Kent County Circuit Court’s Family Division.
“I have made the difficult, but necessary decision not to campaign actively for Kent County Circuit Court judge so that I can better focus on some personal and family issues,’’ Symko said in a statement released by his attorney. “I have shared my intentions with my family and friends, my campaign staff and my opponent.’’
He and Deborah McNabb are running for a newly-created position in Kent County’s Family Court. The six-year term begins Jan. 1. Family Court judges deal with juvenile and domestic relations cases, child protective proceeding and adoptions.
Today’s announcement comes a week after he was released from Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, where he underwent treatment following the overdose. Attorney Richard Roane released a statement Monday saying Symko has suspended his campaign but said the campaign was put on hold two months ago.
Symko’s wife, Jessica, filed for divorce earlier this summer. She tried unsuccessfully to have him involuntarily committed for mental health treatment. The petition in Kent County Probate Court was dismissed last week.
According to the couple’s divorce file and records in Kent County Probate Court, Symko has been drinking heavily and taking high doses of prescription drugs, his wife alleges.
She filed an emergency motion nearly two weeks ago to gain custody of their two children, ages 11 and 8. That motion was denied, Roane said.
The motion accuses Benjamin Symko of becoming “increasingly erratic and out of control,’’ and contends unsupervised parenting time “would endanger the welfare of the minor children and is not in their best interest.’’
A day after the motion was filed in Kent County Circuit Court, medical crews were dispatched to Benjamin Symko’s home in Ada on report of an unresponsive male.
First responders used Narcan to revive Symko, who was treated at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital.
“I ended up in an ambulance not knowing how I got there,’’ Symko said, according to probate court records. “I was out partying. I thought I was just drinking. The EMT gave me something to wake me up.’’
A hospital drug screen found the presence of prescription medication, marijuana, cocaine and alcohol in his system, court records show.
After being treated at Butterworth, Symko was transferred to Pine Rest. He was discharged Aug. 23 and is back home.
In a statement provided by Roane, Symko asks for privacy “during this challenging time.’’
“My family is going through a painful time right now and I remain focused on our needs, particularly those of our children,’’ the statement says.
Even though he is suspending his campaign, Symko’s name will still appear on the Kent County ballot in the Nov. 8 general election. McNabb, his opponent, has served as a referee in Kent County’s Family Court division since 1991 and became chief referee in 2012.
Symko earned his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School at Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids. He was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2009 and is listed as an attorney in good standing.
He works out of an office on Cascade Road near Kenmoor Avenue SE and specializes in business and family law, criminal defense, Social Security Disability and personal injury, according to Symko’s website.
Before attending law school, he attended Grand Valley State University where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and a minor in philosophy.
Prior to going into private practice, Symko worked for the Kent County Office of the Defender and Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project.
He’s won numerous awards, including recognition by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce as one of its 10 Outstanding Young Americans in 2010.
Symko been recipient of the Super Lawyers Rising Stars award three years in a row. Super Lawyers is a national attorney rating service.