Joliet Police Officer Erin Zilka has been charged with DUI in a deadly crash that killed off-duty Berwyn police Officer Charles Schauer Sunday in Plainfield.
Joliet police officer Erin L. Zilka, 35, has been charged with a misdemeanor count of Driving Under the Influence and Driving Too Fast for Conditions after a crash about 6:00 a.m. Sunday January 19, 2020 on southbound Interstate 55, just north of US 30 near Plainfield, Illinois in Will County. Zilka’s Dodge Durango was driven into a stationary Hino box truck that was blocking two right lanes of traffic following a previous DUI crash with a 2006 Nissan Titan pickup truck, according to the Illinois State Police.
Her passenger, Charles Schauer, 33, a 10-year veteran with Berwyn Police Department, was pronounced dead on the scene. Zilka was transported to a hospital with injuries that were initially believed to be non-life-threatening life.
Three lanes on I-55 were shut down until 10:20 a.m. Sunday as Illinois State Police troopers investigated the crash, according to the Illinois State Police.
Joliet Police Department reported that they have begun an internal investigation into the incident.
Zilka, a Plainfield resident, has been a police officer with Joliet Police Department for 6 years and was previously a police officer in Shorewood.
Erin L. Zilch’s next scheduled court date is March 18, 2020.
Additionally, a male driver faces DUI charges and other charges and citations after the first crash on Interstate 55 that ultimately led to the second crash that caused the death of Berwyn police officer Charles Schauer. Illinois State Police say that Rodrigo Marin was driving a 2006 Nissan Titan about 6:00 a.m. on I-55 when he lost control of his pickup truck and crossed into another lane. Marin’s Nissan Titan pickup truck hit the left side of a 2008 Hino Box truck driven by a 44-year-old man, Illinois State Police said. Marin ran from the scene, and was found a short distance away from the crash scene, where Illinois State Police troopers took him into custody. Marin’s booking origin was ISP District 5.
According to the Illinois State Police and Will County records, Rodrigo Marin, 42, was charged with …
aggravated DUI 3+
aggravated DUI/previous reckless homicide,
DUI/BAC .08,
leaving the scene of an accident,
failure to give info/render aid,
driving without valid insurance and
driving on a revoked license.
Marin was also cited for …
failure to reduce speed and
improper lane usage.
Rodrigo Marin was held in the Will County Adult Detention Facility on $250,000 Bond Amount, $25,000 Bail Amount. Marin’s next scheduled court date is Wednesday, January 22, 2020.
^^ MOBILE? USE VOICE MIC ^^
facebook …
Please ‘LIKE’ the ‘Arlington Cardinal Page. See all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages at Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …
Help fund The Cardinal Arlingtoncardinal.com/sponsor
20240105-1435future
THANKS FOR READING CARDINAL NEWS