One dead, several injured after boat collision on Fox River near McHenry
A speeding boat is reported to have run over a smaller vessel on the Fox River near McHenry, killing one person and injuring others, authorities said.
A collision on the Fox River near McHenry on Saturday afternoon left one person dead and several others injured, officials said. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. in the 1800 block of South Fernwood Lane, an area designated as a no-wake zone.
Fire crews and the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded after multiple 911 calls. Paramedics pronounced a victim dead at the scene, and the county coroner’s office took custody of the body for an autopsy. The remaining occupants were removed from the water before fire personnel arrived.
Witnesses reported that a larger triple-engine boat traveling north at high speed struck a smaller white vessel, causing the smaller boat to be run over. The larger boat, which had at least three people aboard, reportedly left the scene. One individual was pursued by a bystander and another allegedly departed in a rideshare vehicle; a police canine and officers continue to search for a third occupant.
"No traffic allowed due to a boat accident," fire officials said, noting that the Fox River has been closed indefinitely between the Stratton Lock and Holiday Hills.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois Department of Natural Resources Police also participated in the response. The investigation remains ongoing.