Man pleads guilty to 27-year-old reckless homicide charges

For more than a quarter-century, Norm Hall would check to see if Roger Walburg had found himself in trouble again.

Hall's hunt ended in October when the DuPage County state's attorney's investigator saw Walburg had been arrested in Oklahoma. But on Thursday, Hall really got what he had waited 28 years for.

That's when Walburg pleaded guilty to reckless homicide charges stemming from a crash in June 1980 in Villa Park when he drove around a crossing gate and his vehicle was struck by an oncoming train. Walburg fled the scene and was arrested the next day. His three passengers were killed.

Hall was one of the Villa Park police detectives who investigated the crash.

Walburg skipped out on a court appearance in 1982 and Hall has been looking for him ever since.

"For more than 25 years Norm Hall held out hope for justice for Walburg's victims: Guy Noel, William Sukup and Bradley Smith," said DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett. "It is because of his persistence and dedication Mr. Walburg will now be held accountable."

Walburg is facing a maximum three-year prison sentence for the reckless homicide charges and possibly an additional year for fleeing 26 years ago because of the sentencing structures for those charges when he was indicted in 1981. He could have to serve just half of his eventual sentence as well, court officials said.

Walburg is scheduled for a Jan. 8 sentencing.