Fellow Priest Covered Up For Burak In Fatal Hit-And-Run: Lawsuit

ORLAND PARK, IL — An associate pastor at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Orland Park has been added as a defendant to a civil suit filed against the estate of the late Rev. Paul Burak, who was charged in a fatal hit-and-run crash that claimed the life of one teacher and injured another in December 2019. Burak was the retired pastor of St. Michael’s. The suit now also names associate pastor Geofrey Andama.

Burak was charged with driving under influence and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, both felonies. Prosecutors later dropped the DUI charge because of insufficient evidence. Burak died Jan. 11, 2021, and has been replaced as a defendant by Mark Burak, special administrator of the late priest’s estate.

Rone (Margaret) Leja, the parish elementary school’s technology teacher, and third grade teacher Elizabeth Kosteck were walking back to their vehicles across a service road at Square Celt Ale House and Grill, when both were struck by Burak. Authorities said the priest was intoxicated. All of them were guests at the parish holiday party on Dec. 4, 2019.

The teachers were taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, where Leja died from her injuries. Kosteck was treated and released.

Orland Park police and Cook County assistant state’s attorneys said an eyewitness, who saw the priest drive away after he hit the two women with his Buick Regal, followed Burak’s car when it hit a curb. The eyewitness told Burak to go back to the restaurant and took a picture of the vehicle’s license plate, prosecutors said during a bond hearing.

Burak returned to the restaurant’s parking lot, described by Orland Park police as “chaos.” According to prosecutors, Burak remained at the scene but did not disclose to officers that he had struck the two women.

Inside the restaurant, St. Michael's associate pastor Geofrey Andama and others learned that two pedestrians had been hit in the parking lot. Andama and the others went outside, where they saw two women on the pavement, the amended complaint said.

The lawsuit maintains that Andama and others noticed Burak’s car was blocked from exiting the parking lot by emergency vehicles. Andama and the others spoke with Burak, who was sitting in the driver’s seat. Attorneys said Andama noticed Burak was delayed in answering questions. As Burak tried to leave the parking lot, he was said to have hit another parked car.

Andama offered to drive Burak home, authorities said. “Based on the totality of circumstances” Andama was aware that Burak was intoxicated — who earlier in the evening had drank a Manhattan and three or four glasses of wine — and had struck the women, according to the complaint.

Burak was originally resistant to being driven home, but eventually he agreed. The complaint maintains that Andama had to physically remove Burak from the driver’s seat and put the retired priest in the back seat. Andama drove Burak to his Palos Heights residence “to avoid being apprehended for driving under the influence.” The church deacon followed Andama as he drove Burak home, who the plaintiffs’ attorneys said could not provide his address.

Andama had to go through Burak’s wallet to get his home address in Palos Heights and let the deacon know where Burak’s residence was. While driving Burak home, Burak allegedly inquired about the conditions of Leja and Kosteck.

After parking Burak’s car in the garage, the complaint said Burak urinated on the building. The amended complaint further asserts that Burak required Andama and the deacon’s assistance in navigating the stairs up to his unit and turning his key in the door.

The next day, Orland Park police located Burak’s car parked in his garage. Charges were announced on Dec. 7. Court documents said Burak told police he had Parkinson's disease, claimed he'd had two drinks and "blacked out" prior to the crash. He claimed that he did not know he had hit the victims, saying he thought he struck a curb or a parking block.

Cook County Associate Judge Melissa Durkin sided with the archdiocese, which sought to dismiss allegations in the Leja and Kosteck complaints related to any collusion that the church may have played in covering up Burak’s actions, the Chicago Tribune reported. The judge called the arguments by the plaintiffs' arguments “factually deficient,” but gave the attorneys for the women the opportunity to bolster their arguments with additional details.

According to court records, attorneys for Leja filed a fifth amended complaint Jan. 28, while attorneys for Kostech filed an amended complaint Feb. 4.

A spokesperson said the Archdiocese of Chicago does not comment on pending litigation.