Sugar Grove man charged in hit-and-run death of woman, 69

Sugar Grove police have announced the arrest of Marc Wiskur, 47, in the hit-and-run death of a neighbor in October, according to a news release late Tuesday.

Elaine Zielke, 69, was struck by a car on Oct. 12, 2024, while walking her dog.

Wiskur turned himself in on a warrant and was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury or death, according to the release. The charge is a Class 1 felony that, upon a conviction, is punishable by four to 15 years in prison and fines up to $25,000, or 48 months of probation.

Wiskur was held overnight in the Kane County jail, but allowed pretrial release on electronic home monitoring, over the state’s objection, after a detention hearing Wednesday, according to court records, which show he is not to leave the state and must surrender his passport.

His attorney, Joseph McMahon, stated in an email: “Marc Wiskur poses no threat to anyone.”

“He is a long time resident of the area with no criminal history and electronic home monitoring is consistent with the pre trial risk assessment prepared by court services and the Pretrial Fairness Act,” according to McMahon’s email. “Cases like this elicit strong emotions, understandably so, but we trust the judicial process and look forward to his day in court.”

Court records show a preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 30.

Sugar Grove police and paramedics responded to Fays Lane about 10:30 p.m. Oct. 12 for an accident with injuries, and found Zielke, who had been left lying in the street, according to the release.

Zielke, who lived nearby, died of her injuries the next day, Oct. 13.

Preliminary autopsy results determined that Zielke died from multiple injuries due to a pedestrian-vs.-motor-vehicle accident, according to a release at the time. Zielke had been out that night walking her dog when she was struck, family attorney George Acosta had said at the time.

Sugar Grove Police Chief Patrick Rollins credited the department’s officers – especially Detective Peter Batitsas and Officer Juan Moreno – for their work the night of the accident, gathering leads in the neighborhood, according to the release.

Through their investigation, police seized a 2015 Jeep Wrangler, obtained through a search warrant, from nearby, according to the release; diligent follow-up and investigative techniques, along with evidence collected, led to Wiskur’s arrest.

Court records show a grand jury indicted Wiskur on July 11.

According to the one-count indictment, Wiskur allegedly “failed to remain at the scene of the accident when he knew that the accident involved death or injury to another person and until the requirements of (state law) were fulfilled, in that the defendant failed to report the driver’s name, driver’s address, and names of all the other occupants of the vehicle and the place, date and approximate time of the collision and/or failed to render assistance to the other person...”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Zielke family and everyone impacted by this tragic event,” according to the release.