Illinois man charged with reckless homicide after high-speed boat crash kills woman
A 45-year-old man is accused of crashing his pontoon boat at about 80 mph into a smaller vessel in a no-wake zone on the Fox River, killing a 48-year-old woman and injuring her husband. He remains in custody awaiting trial.
A McHenry County judge ordered 45-year-old Richard Stevenson to remain in custody after a hearing on Monday, where prosecutors said he drove his 31-foot pontoon boat at roughly 80 miles per hour in a no-wake zone on the Fox River Saturday. The high-speed impact with a 20-foot Crownline boat caused the death of a 48-year-old woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene, and injured her husband.
Police found Stevenson standing near the pontoon after the crash. A blood test at Northwestern Hospital in McHenry showed his blood alcohol concentration was about .200, more than twice the legal limit. Witnesses reported he had been drinking throughout the day, and surveillance video captured the boat traveling at extreme speeds on both the Fox River and the nearby Chain O’Lakes before the collision around 2:30 p.m.
Stevenson faces charges of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated driving under the influence. He has prior convictions for drunk driving, reckless driving and misdemeanor speeding. His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 5.