DUI Charge Dropped Against Retired Orland Priest

ORLAND PARK, IL — A former church pastor accused in a hit-and-run that killed at teacher at a parish school no longer faces a DUI charge stemming from the Dec. 4 incident.

According to prosecutors, Paul Burak, 73, of Palos Heights, told police he "blacked out" after drinking a Manhattan and several glasses of wine prior to the crash, which killed 61-year-old Margaret "Rone" Leja and injured another St. Michael's teacher.

Burak and the teachers were leaving a staff Christmas party at Square Celt Ale House & Grill at Orland Square when the crash happened. Leja and the other teacher were both taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, where Leja was pronounced dead.

The priest, who retired in 2018, was initially charged with aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of a fatal crash, both felonies. Prosecutors later said evidence was insufficient to support the DUI charge.

Leja's family was told Tuesday that the DUI charge against Burak has been dropped, according to the Chicago Tribune. Burak is still charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash, and he pleaded not guilty during a brief court appearance.

Leja's family has filed a lawsuit accusing Burak of negligence in the wake of her death. The suit seeks unspecified damages.

On the night of the crash, a witness reportedly said he followed Burak as he continued driving northbound on LaGrange Road. The witness said he told Burak to go back to the restaurant and took a picture of the priest's license plate. Burak returned to scene, described by Orland Park Police Chief Tim McCarthy as "chaotic," but he did not disclose to police that he had struck Leja, according to the criminal complaint.

Burak was released after posting ten percent of $10,000 bail, but was ordered to be on electronic monitoring. He is only allowed to leave his residence to go to medical appointments and court hearings.