One dead, two hurt in St. Charles crash

St. Charles police are investigating a one-car crash that killed a 26-year-old driver and injured his two passengers Monday.

It happened about 1 a.m. when a 1996 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Saul Villanueva, of St. Charles, went off southbound Route 31 and struck a tree near Abbeywood Drive, police said.

"The vehicle hit the tree with such force, it totally bent the car around the tree," trapping its occupants inside, St. Charles police spokesman Paul McCurtain said.

Villanueva was pronounced dead a short time later at Delnor Hospital in Geneva. Passengers Alejandro R. Chavez, 25, of Aurora, and Francisco S. Viquez, 21, of St. Charles, were taken to area hospitals, according to police.

Viquez was listed in critical condition at Delnor Monday afternoon. Police said Chavez was taken to Provena St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin but the hospital said he was not a patient.

McCurtain said the accident remains under investigation and no charges have been filed.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call police at (630) 377-4435.