Aurora man dies after DUI crash that crushed minivan near Fox Valley Mall

AURORA, Ill. (WLS) -- An Aurora man died Thursday after he was involved in a DUI crash that left him pinned in a minivan beneath the trailer of a semi in the west suburb, police said.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Commons and McCoy drives near Fox Valley Mall around 11:35 p.m. Wednesday.

Paul E. Lydston, 43, was heading east on McCoy in a 2014 Chrysler Town and County when he allegedly blew a red light at Commons and struck a northbound 1995 Freightliner.

The minivan was pinned beneath the trailer and dragged about 100 feet before coming to a stop, police said. Lydston was extricated from the vehicle and taken in serious condition to a hospital in Aurora. He was later airlifted to another hospital in the suburbs, where his condition stabilized.

Aurora police said in a Facebook post later Thursday morning that Lydston had died at 6:22 a.m. They extended their condolences to his family.

The 28-year-old man driving the semi refused medical treatment, police said. The two men were the only ones in each of their vehicles.

Commons was closed from Westbrook Drive to Raintree Court and McCoy was closed from Gregory Street to the entrance of the Fox Valley Mall until just after 7 a.m. Thursday for an investigation, police said.

Chopper 7HD was over the scene around 5:45 a.m. Thursday, when crews pulled the vehicles apart and towed them away.

Lydston was cited for two counts of DUI, disobeying a traffic control device and driving an uninsured vehicle, police said.

Illinois State Police, Naperville police and volunteers from Aurora's Emergency Management Agency assisted in the investigation.