DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today, Monday, January 26, 2026 that an Aurora male convicted DUI driver has been sentenced to nine years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for driving his vehicle into oncoming traffic while under the influence of alcohol, killing the female driver of another vehicle in the Spring of 2023. The State had asked for the maximum allowable sentence under the law of fourteen years. Joshua Crye, age 34, of the block of 1800 Westfield Drive, appeared at his sentencing hearing Monday morning in front of Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh, who handed down the sentence. On August 5, 2025, Crye entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of Aggravated DUI Causing Death, a Class 2 Felony. On May 18, 2023, the Court issued an arrest warrant of $2 million with 10% to apply for Crye. On June 12, 2023, Crye was taken into custody without incident and appeared in Bond Court where his bond was set at $2 million with 10% to apply in accordance with the previously issued arrest warrant. He has remained in custody at the DuPage County Jail since that time.
The Crash Scene
On Thursday, April 6, 2023, at approximately 8:52 p.m., police officers with the Aurora Police Department responded to a three-vehicle crash on Eola Road. Following an investigation into the crash, authorities learned that Crye was traveling at approximately 85 m.p.h. on southbound Eola Road in a Ford Escape when he crossed the raised center median, entered the northbound lanes, and crashed into a northbound vehicle driven by the victim, Nicole Dickerson. The force of the collision caused the vehicles to crash into another northbound vehicle. Following the crash, the occupants of all three vehicles were transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. On Monday, April 10, 2023, Dickerson passed away as a result of the injuries she sustained in the crash. Crye’s BAC at the time of the crash was 0.183, more than twice the legal limit.
“DUI crashes are not accidents. These crashes, which are 100% avoidable, are the result of a bad decision made by an intoxicated individual, in this case, Joshua Crye. That bad decision however, not only cost Nicole Dickerson her life and her family their loving wife and mother, but also impacted an entire community. I wish Nicole’s family and friends strength as they continue their lives with just their memories of the love and support Nicole once provided. I urge everyone to please be responsible if you have been drinking or are otherwise intoxicated. When it is time to go home, do the right thing and call a cab, a ride sharing service or a friend for a ride instead of thinking you are fine to drive. I thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Lee Roupas and Michael McBride for their efforts in holding Mr. Crye responsible for the death of Nicole Dickerson.”
— DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin
Crye will be required to serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
THANKS FOR READING CARDINAL NEWS
Get updates from The Cardinal ALL NEWS FEEDS on Facebook. Just ‘LIKE’ the ‘Arlington Cardinal Page (become a fan of our page). The updates cover all posts and sub-category posts from The Cardinal — Arlingtoncardinal.com. See all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages at Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …
Help fund The Cardinal Arlingtoncardinal.com/sponsor
