Visitation held for teacher, Margaret 'Rone' Leja killed in crash; retired priest charged in Orland Park hit-and-run

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Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Visitation held for teacher killed in Orland Park hit-and-run
A visitation was held for the teacher who was allegedly struck and killed by a retired priest in a hit-and-run crash in Orland Park last week.

ORLAND PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- A visitation was held Monday night for an Orland Park teacher killed in a hit-and-run last week.

Margaret "Rone" Leja's funeral is Tuesday, but Monday night family, friends and former students gathered to pay their respects.

RELATED: Orland Park hit-and-run: Victims ID'd as St. Michael School teachers leaving Christmas party

Leja was a teacher at St. Michael's Parish School. She was struck and killed last week near the parking lot of Orland Square Mall while leaving a Christmas party. Another educator, Liz Kostek, was also injured in the hit-and-run.

Retired priest Paul Burak is charged in her death. He attended the same party as Leja. According to prosecutors, the former priest admitted to police that he was "blacked out" and drunk after drinking a Manhattan cocktail and a glass of wine.

Burak due back in court Tuesday.