Man Charged in Rt. 31 Crash

An Aurora man faces multiple drunken driving and related charges as a result of an Oct. 14 accident on Route 31 that left 4 people injured and shut down the roadway for more than three hours.

Luis Avila Pina, 45, of the 400 block of New York Street, Aurora, was arrested at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, where he had been treated for his injuries in the crash. He is charged with aggravated DUI-great bodily harm; aggravated DUI-license revoked or suspended; aggravated DUI-no insurance; speeding, too fast for conditions; driving on a suspended or revoked license; and operating an uninsured vehicle.

He is being held in the Kane County Jail pending a court appearance on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012.

St. Charles police said early on they believed alcohol and faulty equipment were factors in the crash, which occurred shortly before 11 a.m. on Route 31, just north of Wildrose Springs Drive.

Pina originally was reported to be in critical condition after the crash.

The driver of the other vehicle, Manuel Nunez, 37, and his passengers Carmen Arevalo, 52, and Emillo Arevalo, 54, all three of Aurora, were each taken to Delnor for treatment of less serious injuries, authorities said.

Police said that Pina was southbound on Route 31 when he lost control of his Pontiac Grand Prix and swerved into oncoming traffic. The Grand Prix collided with a northbound Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Nunez.

Related:

• Charges Pending in Sunday Crash on Route 31
• Alcohol Suspected as Factor in Crash that Injured 4