By SHERRI KOLADE
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — A former Sacred Heart Parish priest, who was charged with drunken driving and indecent exposure in August, is on probation after 19th District Court Judge Richard Wygonik made the ruling Thursday during a pretrial hearing.
The Rev. Peter Petroske, 57, was ordered to pay $1,090 in state and court fees, which he paid after his hearing, court officials confirmed. Petroske, who currently lives in Downingtown, Pa., is serving a one-year probation sentence, which began on Thursday.
On Aug. 3, Dearborn police officers arrested Petroske, about a block from Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 22430 Michigan Ave.
On Aug. 6, archdiocesan officials notified Sacred Heart Parish staff of Petroske’s suspension. Petroske became priest of the parish in 2008.
Wygonik also ordered Petroske to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings three times a week and continue a patient counseling program in Pennsylvania.
Petroske was arraigned on Aug. 14 in 19th District Court. His pretrial was originally scheduled for Sept. 13 in 19th District Court.
Joe Kohn, director of public relations for the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit, issued a statement Aug. 7 about the incident and said Petroske’s suspension is open-ended. On Dec. 27, Kohn said he did not have any updates on whether Petroske would return to Sacred Heart Parish.
About 1,900 families attend Sacred Heart Parish, making it the second largest parish in Dearborn.
Prior to preaching at Sacred Heart Parish, Petroske preached at Saint Pius X Parish in Southgate for 14 years.
(Sherri Kolade can be reached at skolade@bewickpublications.com.)