Lisle man charged after fatal Fox River boat crash
Richard Stevenson of Lisle faces aggravated DUI and reckless homicide charges after his pontoon collided with another boat on the Fox River, killing 48-year-old Magdalena Jablonska.
A 31-foot pontoon operated by Richard Stevenson struck the rear of a 20-foot Crownline boat on the Fox River near the McHenry Dam on Sunday afternoon, killing passenger Magdalena Jablonska, 48. Prosecutors said Stevenson was traveling at about 80 mph in a slow-speed zone and had a blood alcohol concentration of roughly .200, more than twice the legal limit.
Stevenson was found in trees off the shoreline after the crash; two other occupants of the pontoon left the scene before police arrived. He was taken into custody, hospitalized for testing, and later detained pending a court appearance scheduled for Aug. 5.
McHenry County State's Attorney Randi L. Freese said, "Our rivers and lakes should be places where families can safely enjoy time together, not places where the reckless and impaired can turn a summer day into a tragedy. No family should have to endure the unimaginable loss suffered in this case."
Deputy Chief Brian Miller described Stevenson as a "ticking time-bomb" during a detention hearing. Court records show Stevenson has three prior DUI convictions, three reckless-driving charges and four misdemeanor speeding offenses.
Stevenson, an employee of the family-owned Stevenson Crane Company in Bolingbrook, was terminated following the incident. The company issued a statement expressing condolences to the victims’ families.