A teenage driver is facing two felony charges after allegedly crashing a stolen pickup truck into a minivan on Sunday afternoon in North Aurora, police said.
According to Deputy Chief Scott Buziecki, the incident began around 3:20 p.m. when the teen driver allegedly ran a red light and caused a crash which seriously injured a 44-year-old Glendale Heights man.
Buziecki said the 17-year-old from St. Charles was driving a gold 2005 Dodge pickup truck southbound on River Road when he ran a red light and struck a green Dodge Caravan that was traveling eastbound on Butterfield Road.
The teenage driver of the pickup truck and a female passenger allegedly ran away from the crash scene, but were later caught by police about a half mile away. Buziecki said police are crediting several alert residents in the area who called 911 and helped direct police to where the pair had fled.
Buziecki said during their investigation, officers learned the truck had been reported stolen to Aurora police. Consequently, the teenage driver was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a converted motor vehicle, disobeying a traffic signal, leaving the scene of a crash, and no valid license. The female passenger was released without charges, Buziecki said.
Traffic was delayed for several hours while the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team worked the crash scene, but the roadways remained open.
Buziecki said the driver of the minivan sustained serious injuries and was transported to Presence Mercy Hospital in Aurora by North Aurora Fire Department paramedics. He was later transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove where he remains in serious condition. There were no passengers in the minivan.
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The crash remains under investigation by the North Aurora Police Department and the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team. Buziecki said it is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.
The stolen vehicle remains under investigation by the Aurora Police Department.