Beloved Highland Park School Board Member and Democratic Party Activist, Maureen “Moe” Wener, Still Awaits Justice Six Months After Fatal Hit-and-Run

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Highland Park, IL — Six months after the tragic hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of Maureen “Moe” Wener, a local school board member and Democratic Party activist, prosecutors have yet to file charges. The delay has left Wener’s family and the community frustrated and seeking answers.

On June 2, Wener, 49, was riding her bike at the corner of Deerfield and Piccadilly roads when she was struck by a vehicle. Despite the efforts of bystanders who rushed to help her, Wener was pronounced dead at Condell Medical Center. The driver responsible for the accident fled the scene, leaving Wener’s family devastated.

Paul Rundell, Wener’s widower, expressed his frustration with the lack of progress in the investigation. He stated, “Our whole family deserves answers. We are grieving together and being patient while the state’s attorney’s office and the Highland Park police do their jobs, but it has been five and a half months.”

Police reports obtained by Patch revealed that a Saint Charles woman, Melanie Hass, came forward to the Highland Park Police Department hours after the crash and initially cooperated with investigators. However, she later hired a lawyer and declined further comment. Hass is now the defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of Wener’s estate.

In early September, the case was turned over to the felony review unit of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office. State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart stated that his office is still awaiting expert analysis of digital forensic evidence before making a charging decision. He confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and declined to provide further details.

According to police reports, Hass claimed to be a witness to the accident and provided an account that placed her at the intersection where Wener was killed. However, her version of the story differed from eyewitness accounts. Instead of hitting a cyclist, she claimed to have “gone over the curb” while struggling to shift the manual transmission of her Jeep Wrangler. Hass admitted to driving away after the incident but stated that she did not know if she had struck anything.

The investigation has relied on evidence from Hass’s vehicle’s infotainment system, which recorded data at the time of the accident. The data indicated that the Jeep was indeed in the area where Wener was struck. Additionally, records from Hass’s cell phone showed no calls, texts, or other messages related to the crash. Hass’s manager at work confirmed that she left for a lunch break around the time of the incident and appeared anxious and unwell upon her return.

Despite the evidence pointing towards Hass’s involvement, no charges have been filed against her. The delay in the charging decision has frustrated Wener’s family and the community, who seek justice for the beloved activist and school board member.

Wener was known for her involvement in local politics and her commitment to making a difference in her community. She served as a member of the Deerfield School District 109 board and was an active member of the Democratic Party. Colleagues and community members described her as a passionate advocate for education and a beloved figure in the community.

As the investigation continues, Wener’s family and the community eagerly await the charging decision, hoping that justice will be served for the loss of a beloved community member..