Former Joliet officer charged in crash that killed Berwyn officer found not guilty

JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) -- A Joliet police officer charged with driving under the influence in a crash that killed a Berwyn police officer was found not guilty Friday morning after a Will County bench trial, her defense attorney said.

Erin Zilka was found not guilty of aggravated DUI causing death and failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash, attorney Jeff Tomczak said.
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SEE ALSO: Joliet Officer Erin Zilka charged with DUI in crash that killed off-duty Berwyn Officer Charles Schauer

Zilka and her passenger, Berwyn police Officer Charles Schauer, 33, were off-duty in January of 2020 when she crashed her Dodge Durango into the back of a box truck that had been involved in another drunk driving crash on Interstate 55 near Plainfield.

Tomczak said the judge pointed to Zilka's blood alcohol level being below the legal limit and how dark it was when the crash occurred when determining that "the accident was not foreseeable."
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Zilka resigned from Joliet police in 2022.