Family of Teen Killed in Hit-and-Run Still Searching for Answers

By Melanie Santostefano

Two years ago, Gabriella "Gabby" Drozdz, 18, was killed by a hit-and-run driver while walking with friends to the annual Alpine Days summer festival in Lake Zurich. Today, the driver of the vehicle still has not been identified. 

Legislation to increase penalties for hit-and-run drivers has been filed by State Senator Dan Duffy (R-Lake Barrington) after working with the family-who continues to grieve the loss of their loved one at such a young and promising age. 

"I've been able to accept Gabby's death over time, we would like to put a face to the person who did this to her; not knowing has some mystery to it, and that causes me to have to imagine exactly what happened that night," said Chris Drozdz, Gabby's older brother. 

What authorities do know is the type of vehicle that hit and killed Drozdz on that fateful night after 9:15 p.m. on Friday, July 22, 2011 on Church Street near Jamie Lane. 

Based on evidence left at the scene, Lake Zurich police believe it was either a light-colored GMC Safari or Chevrolet Astro van that hit the young woman, and is believed to have had a two-tone blue color with accents of silver or grey.

Video from a Shell gas station at Gilmer and Midlothian Roads provided a brief shot of what police believe is the vehicle that hit Drozdz [see photo gallery].

Police also were able to deduct that the driver did not hit the brakes when the vehicle hit Drozdz and did not try to stop the vehicle afterwards. 

Gabby's brother, Scott Grzelak, said he is hopeful safety changes will be made to the very area where his youngest sister was killed.

"The hope is that Gabby's death will not be in vain. This area [where she was hit] has no sidewalk and just gravel along the side of the road even today," Grzelak said. "It is in a school zone and right near downtown Lake Zurich, and there is no lighting there."

In addition to local safety improvements, the family also supports stiffer penalties for people who leave the scene of a hit-and-run accident-statewide.

Senate Bill 3926, introduced by Duffy, proposes that hit-and-run drivers be given up to 48 hours to report the accident, instead of the one-half hour limit currently included in the Illinois Vehicle Code.

Drozdz's older sister, Ilona Gregory, worked with Duffy's office, and believes the longer time frame might allow a a hit-and-run driver more time to call a lawyer, and/or let their conscience cause them to do the right thing and turn themselves in.

Increased penalties would include the offense becoming a Class 4 felony if the offender does not report it and the accident does not cause a fatality, with a mandatory term of imprisonment of no less than 10 years.

In the case where a hit-and-run causes a death, and the offender does not report it, the offense would become a Class 1 felony and require imprisonment of no less than 20 years.

Driving privileges also would be subject to statutory summary revocation if the driver refuses to undergo testing for alcohol or drugs.

Though the family is behind the changes, and wants the driver to be brought to justice-nothing will change their devastating loss.

"It won't change anything as far as our grief and how much we miss Gabby in our lives," Gregory said. "We would ask the public to keep their ears and eyes open. It might be a comment, or anything suspicious that might lead to the person who did this.

The family held a commemorative picnic at Breezewald Park in Lake Zurich on Sunday, July 21 in honor of the pending two-year anniversary of Drozdz's death. 

Many of the young woman's friends gathered with the family, and remembered Drozdz as a person who impacted many people in her short life.