Retired IL Priest Paul Burak Charged In Wednesday Deadly Orland Park Hit-And-Run

ORLAND PARK, IL. (THECOUNT) — Retired Priest, Paul C. Burak, has been identified as the suspect charged in a deadly hit-and-run that killed one teacher and injured a second as they were departing a Christmas party in Orland Park earlier this week, according to officials.

Burak, 73, was charged Saturday with aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of an accident (both felonies), after attending the same party as the victims in Wednesday night’s incident.

The incident took place at around 8 p.m. Wednesday night, according to police, who said two women were walking out of the Square Celt Restaurant, located at 39 Orland Square Drive at the Orland Park mall, when they were hit by a vehicle. One of the victims, a 61-year-old woman, was pronounced dead at the hospital, authorities said. The other victim, a 54-year-old woman, was hospitalized in serious condition, according to police, reports NBCChicago.

Burak was taken into custody Friday night, officials said.

Principal Paul Smith, of St. Michael School in Orland Park, identified the teacher killed as Ms. Rone Leja, a technology instructor who had been at the school for about a year-and-a-half.

School officials said the teacher who was injured in the hit-and-run had been released from the hospital and was recovering at home.

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Geo quick facts: Orland Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, a suburb of Chicago, which in 2010 had a population of 56,767. 25 miles southwest of Chicago, Orland Park is close to several interstate highways, with the I-80 east-west coast connector as its southern border – Wikipedia.