An Illinois 0ff-duty police officer was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the Berwyn Police Department.
The accident happened around 6 a.m. on Sunday, north of U.S. Route 30.
Officer Charles Schauer, 33, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Joliet off-duty police officer Erin Zilka, reported Fox 32 Chicago.
Zilka, 35, was allegedly driving under the influence when she crashed a 2019 Dodge Durango into a box truck that had been blocking two right lanes of traffic due to an earlier crash with a pickup truck.
“The subject from the Dodge Durango was not breathing…another subject was unconscious and another accident happened right in the area,” said an officer at the scene, reported ABC7 Chicago.
Elizabeth Hock, a witness at the scene, said Zilka was at a loss of what to do. “She just said ‘He’s not moving. He’s not moving. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do,” Hock told ABC7 Chicago. “Well, then she had asked me to try to get the car off of the gentleman. I said I can’t do stuff like that. That’s the fire department’s job.”
Schauer, a 10-year veteran of the Berwyn Police Department, was pronounced dead at the scene and Zilka was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
She has been charged with misdemeanor DUI and driving too fast for the road conditions, according to ABC7 Chicago, and was released after posting bail. Zilka’s attorney, Jeff Tomczak, said his client’s blood was below the legal limit, citing Illinois State Police. He said that Zilka was unable to see the crash ahead of her because it was still dark out, adding that “she is devastated.”
Zilka has been a police officer for 12 years, serving for six years in Shorewood and another six with the Joliet Police Department. Tomczak describe his client as “just a good police officer,” noting she has a good record.
Following the news of the accident, the Berwyn Police Department released the following statement: “The City of Berwyn Police Department is grieving the loss of a well-respected Police Officer, Charles Schauer, a ten year veteran. Officer Schauer was a passenger in a vehicle that was in an auto accident in Will County. The accident investigation is being conducted by the Illinois State Police. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Schauer family during this time of need.”
Berwyn Mayor Robert Lovero also released a statement on Sunday, writing in a Facebook post: “It is with great sadness that I share that we lost a member of the Berwyn Police Department. Officer Chuck Schauer was a passenger in car involved in a tragic traffic accident this morning. Please keep Officer Schauer’s family and friends, as well as all Berwyn police officers in your thoughts and prayers during this time of grief.”
Officer Schauer’s family has asked for privacy, according to ABC7 Chicsgo.