Aurora man seriously injured in Plainfield crash

A 24-year-old Aurora man is in serious condition with injuries to his arm following a multivehicle crash in Plainfield.

Police said Adrian Garcia was in the second car in a series of three to be hit by a vehicle that crossed into his lane Monday evening on Route 30 near Heggs Road in Plainfield.

According to state police, Steven Gombash, 49, of Romeoville, was driving his commercial-sized construction truck east on Route 30 just before 6:30 p.m. when he crossed into the westbound lane and struck a Volkswagen Passat driven by Ericka Corral, 21, of Montgomery; a Ford Ranger driven by Garcia; and a commercial vehicle driven by James Stroud, 43, of Evansville, Ind.

A witness told police Gombash's truck crossed into the westbound lanes for unknown reasons, first striking Corral's vehicle, next striking Garcia's and finally striking Stroud's head-on, causing the commercial vehicle and construction truck to burst into flames.

Gombash was pulled from the burning vehicle and airlifted to Loyola Medical Center in Maywood with burns and other injuries.

Corral and two occupants from the Volkswagen were transported to Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora with minor injuries. Garcia also was taken to Rush-Copley and then transferred to Loyola for treatment of the serious injuries to his arm.

Stroud was sent to Rush -Copley after escaping his burning vehicle with burns to his arms and other minor injuries.

Gombash was cited for improper lane use after tests confirmed neither drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.