Teachers asked retired priest if he was OK to drive before before fatal hit-and-run: prosecutors

The Rev. Paul Burak | Orland Park police

A retired priest from St. Michael Church told two Catholic schoolteachers from his former parish that he was OK to drive home from a staff party before he drunkenly hit the women with his car earlier this week in Orland Park, leaving one dead, according to prosecutors.

The Rev. Paul Burak, 73, now faces criminal charges of aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, authorities announced Saturday.

St. Michael teacher Margaret “Rone” Leja was killed and her co-worker Elizabeth Kosteck was seriously injured in the Wednesday night crash.

A Cook County judge set bail for Kurak at $10,000.

Margaret “Rone” Leja (left) and Elizabeth Kosteck

Burak had struck the women with his car about 8 p.m. while all three were leaving a staff holiday party at the Square Celt Ale House & Grill near the Orland Square Mall, according to Orland Park Police Chief Tim McCarthy.

Burak drank a Manhattan cocktail and a glass of wine, and Leja and Kosteck had asked if he was OK to drive, but he said yes, Cook County prosecutors alleged during his bail hearing.

The women were a few feet from a curb walking to their parked cars when Burak turned left out of the parking lot and hit them, police said.

McCarthy called it a “chaotic scene of good Samaritans helping the victims.

“Some knew of the crash, [but] most of them did not,” McCarthy said.

Both women were taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, where Leja, 61, was pronounced dead.

Orland Park Police Chief Tim McCarthy announced charges Saturday against retired St. Michael priest Paul Burak in connection with Wednesday’s fatal hit-and-run crash in Orland Park.

Kosteck, 54, was initially listed in serious condition. She was released from the hospital Thursday morning, McCarthy said.

Witnesses told police the driver was in a light gold 2016 Buick Regal, which officers found Thursday evening in the garage of Burak’s Palos Heights home, McCarthy said. He was arrested and taken to the Orland Park Police Department.

Burak told police that he has Parkinson’s disease and takes medication for it, prosecutors said. He allegedly said he blacked out after drinking at the party.

“We extend our sincerest condolences to the victims and those close to them,” Burak’s defense attorney Cambry McNabb said. “This is a tragedy that has a lot of layers of grief, and we acknowledge that and wish everyone peace that’s been affected by this.”

Leja started working as a technology coach at St. Michael in March, according to the Archdiocese of Chicago. She previously taught at Mount Assisi Academy in Lemont.

Kosteck teaches 3rd grade and has been at St. Michael since 2005.

Burak was the pastor at St. Michael from 2009 until his retirement last year, archdiocese spokeswoman Anne Maselli said.

The Rev. Paul Burak.

“As a community we continue to grieve the loss of Ms. Leja and the injury to Mrs. Kosteck,” the archdiocese said in a statement. “We again offer our heartfelt condolences, support and sympathy to their families and are keeping them and all affected by this tragedy in our prayers.”

Burak previously served as pastor at St. Catherine of Genoa and Our Lady of the Ridge parishes, according to St. Michael’s website.

The hit-and-run initially prompted a stern rebuke from McCarthy, who said Thursday the driver “should’ve seen these people and should have avoided them... There’s no reason for this accident whatsoever.”