Marc Wiskur, 47, pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony charge accusing him of driving off after his neighbor was struck and fatally injured in an October 2024 hit-and-run in Sugar Grove's Dugan Woods area, according to prosecutors. The plea wraps up what authorities describe as a months-long investigation into the crash. Wiskur is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 6 at 1:30 p.m. at the Kane County Judicial Center.
According to FOX 32 Chicago, the Kane County State's Attorney's Office said Wiskur pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident involving death, a Class 1 felony. The station reported that the plea followed what prosecutors described as a nine-month probe.
How the crash unfolded
The collision was reported around 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 12, 2024, near 1900 Fays Lane in Sugar Grove, according to local coverage. First responders found 69-year-old Elaine Zielke lying in the street, provided medical aid, and transported her to Ascension Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, where she later died, as reported by the Kane County Chronicle. A preliminary autopsy listed multiple injuries consistent with a vehicle-pedestrian crash.
Investigation and evidence
Investigators seized a 2015 Jeep Wrangler, and prosecutors say touch DNA from the vehicle linked both Zielke and the driver, according to the Daily Herald. That evidence led to a July 2025 grand-jury indictment, and court records show Wiskur responded to a warrant by turning himself in. The records also indicate he was placed on electronic home monitoring while the case moved forward. Police praised investigators for following leads in the neighborhood, the reporting said.
Legal stakes and what's next
Under Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/11-401), failing to remain at the scene of a crash that results in death can be charged as a Class 1 felony that carries a potential prison term of four to 15 years, according to the Illinois General Assembly. The Kane County State's Attorney's Office says Wiskur pleaded guilty to that offense and is due for sentencing on Aug. 6 at 1:30 p.m., according to FOX 32 Chicago. The hearing will be held at the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles.
Family and community
Zielke's obituary notes she is survived by four children and 12 grandchildren and describes her as an active member of the neighborhood, according to Tribute Archive. Neighbors and officials have expressed sympathy for the Zielke family as the case continues through the courts.
Wiskur's attorney, Joseph McMahon, previously told local reporters that "Marc Wiskur poses no threat to anyone," calling him a longtime area resident with no criminal history, the Kane County Chronicle reported. With the guilty plea now entered, the case is set to return to court for the Aug. 6 sentencing.
