Good Samaritan dies of injuries suffered trying to aid driver in crash

A 51-year-old Plainfield man died Friday night from injuries he suffered this week while coming to the aid of an 84-year-old Aurora woman who lost control of her minivan, police said.

Dennis C. Hunke II, of Plainfield, was pronounced dead at 6:43 p.m. at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, according to the DuPage County coroner's office. There will be no autopsy on his body.

Joyce A. Baudouin lost control of her 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan about 10:10 a.m. Wednesday while backing out of a driveway in the first block of South Buell Avenue in Aurora, police said.

Baudouin first hit a 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by a 20-year-old Aurora man heading south on Buell Avenue, according to a preliminary investigation by police. Baudouin then apparently hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, police said, while still in reverse after the crash, sending the van into two separate yards and back onto the road.

After seeing the crash, Hunke ran toward the woman's van and yelled for Baudouin to step on the brake. When he reached the minivan, he put his foot inside the open driver's side door in an attempt to help Baudouin apply the brake, police said. She apparently hit the accelerator again, police said, causing Hunke to hit the inside of the van's door.

The impact threw him backward, and he hit the pavement headfirst.

Aurora paramedics rushed Hunke to Presence Mercy Medical Center, and he was later airlifted to Good Samaritan Hospital.

Baudouin and the driver of the first vehicle she hit were not injured, police said.

Baudouin, who lives on 400 block of West Downer Place, was cited for improper backing, police said. Aurora police continue to investigate the crash.