Off-Duty Female Cop Charged with DUI, Causes Fatal Accident

Erin Zilka was a six-year veteran of the Joliet Police Department (pictured). Jeff Tomczak, defending the accused, disputed that his client was intoxicated and said she was ‘totally devastated’ by the events.

The January 2020 crash happened as Erin Zilka and her passenger were driving back to her home in Plainfield at 6 a.m. on Interstate 55

Joliet police officer Erin Zilka has resigned from her position nearly two-and-a-half years after being involved in a deadly crash along Interstate 55 that killed her passenger, Berwyn police officer Charles Schauer. Zilka still faces three felony charges in connection with the Jan. 19, 2020, crash. She was charged in December 2020 with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and one count of aggravated driving under the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs. Zilka is set to appear in court on July 6, where a trial date will be set for her case.

Work cited: Ferak, John. "Erin Zilka Leaves Joliet Police 2 Years After Her Deadly Crash." Patch, Patch Staff, 26 May 2022, Patch.com

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