No arrest yet in hit-and-run death of Sugar Grove grandmother

Sugar Grove police are continuing to investigate the death of Elaine Zielke, 69, who died Oct. 13 after being hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian, the family’s attorney, George Acosta, said.

“They took a vehicle into custody that morning,” Acosta said. “They impounded it.”

The state crime lab is involved in forensic testing of the vehicle to confirm whether it was involved in the crash that killed Zielke, he said.

Acosta said the state crime lab “is notoriously backed up – but they have requested some urgency from them as well.”

Not only does forensics have to connect the vehicle to Zielke’s death, police also have to ascertain who was driving, Acosta said.

“You have to have someone to identify as the driver,” Acosta said.

If multiple people in a household, guests or friends all have access to the vehicle, a defense attorney could put anyone behind the wheel, he said.

“The police are doing everything that they can do,” Acosta said. “In our private meetings – I cannot give out details – but they are really doing the legwork necessary.”

There is also a hope that the driver will come forward, he said.

“They know what they did and they can unburden themselves at some point by coming forward,” Acosta said.

If the driver was impaired at the time, there is no way to prove a DUI at this point, he said, so he or she has already avoided the most serious consequences, he said.

“Leaving the scene of an accident with injuries is a crime. It’s not negligent homicide or DUI leading to the death of someone – which is much more serious,” Acosta said.

The person could say, “‘I panicked and made a mistake.’”

Sugar Grove police did not respond to a request for comment.