Boater With DUI, Reckless Driving Arrests Detained In Fatal Fox River Crash

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — A McHenry County judge ordered a suburban executive accused of causing a deadly Fox River boat crash to remain jailed after prosecutors cited his alleged reckless operation of the vessel, a nearly three-times-the-legal-limit blood alcohol level and a criminal history that includes prior DUI convictions as reasons he should be detained.

Richard Stevenson, 45, of Lisle, is charged with two counts of aggravated DUI causing death and reckless homicide involving a watercraft after authorities allege he drove a boat at about 80 mph through a no-wake zone while intoxicated, according to a petition to detain filed Monday in McHenry County Circuit Court and obtained by Patch.

In the detention petition, prosecutors argued Stevenson poses a real and present threat to public safety, pointing to the circumstances of the crash as well as his prior record, which includes two DUI convictions, two reckless driving convictions, two fleeing-and-eluding convictions, a battery conviction, disorderly conduct, possession charges and multiple driving-while-license-suspended offenses.

• Executive’s Blood Alcohol Nearly 3 Times Legal Limit In Fatal Fox River Boat Crash: Court Documents

Police were called around 2:30 p.m. Saturday to the two-boat crash on the Fox River near 1819 South Fernwood Lane in McHenry, according to the felony complaint filed Monday in McHenry County Circuit Court. The petition alleges Stevenson’s boat, a 31-foot Southbay, went over the top of a 20-foot Crownline, causing the death of a female passenger who was decapitated in the crash.

Prosecutors said the passenger aboard the Crownline, a 48-year-old woman, was married to a man on board the boat, who was taken to the hospital, according to the Lake & McHenry County Scanner. The woman's identity has not yet been released and an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Officials said there were two people aboard each boat. A man who was aboard the same vessel as the woman who was killed was taken to a hospital in critical condition and placed on life support.

Another person was hospitalized with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, according to WGN.

Prosecutors also cited Stevenson’s alleged actions before the crash as reason for him to remain detained, which included purchasing Fireball whiskey, drinking at Port Edward and stumbling back to his boat after leaving the establishment, according to court documents.

After the collision, Stevenson’s boat lost control and crashed into timber along the west bank of the river, according to court documents. A witness on shore told investigators Stevenson admitted he had been operating the vessel and had been drinking, according to the petition.

Two other occupants on the pontoon left the scene before police arrived, prosecutors said Monday.

Stevenson remained at the scene and was found in trees along the shoreline. He was taken to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, and a hospital blood draw showed his blood alcohol concentration was 0.20, while the felony complaint listed his BAC as 0.236 — nearly three times Illinois’ legal limit of 0.08.

"Multiple witnesses reported to investigating officers that Stevenson had been consuming alcohol throughout the day while operating the vessel and was driving at high rates of speed on both the Chain O' Lakes and the Fox River just prior to crashing into the Crownline," according to a news release from the McHenry County State's Attorney's Office.

“This man was a ticking time-bomb and that bomb went off this past Saturday on the Fox River," said Brian Miller, deputy chief for the state's attorney's office, during the detention hearing on Monday.

A LinkedIn profile for Stevenson listed him as a vice president for Bolingbrook-based Stevenson Crane Company, Inc.

A portion of the Fox River was closed amid an investigation into the fatal collision over the weekend but has since reopened.

Stevenson is next expected in court on Aug. 5 for a preliminary hearing, according to online court records.

Investigators Seek Public’s Help

Illinois Conservation Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision, observed either boat before or after the crash, or has information related to the incident to contact investigators.

"Conservation police are leading the investigation and are asking to hear from anyone who witnessed the crash, observed either vessel before or after the collision, or may have information related to the incident," IDNR officials said in a Monday afternoon Facebook post. "Investigators welcome any photographs or video taken in the area around the time of the crash, including cell phone video, security camera footage or video recorded while boating on the Fox River."

Since the crash, numerous people have shared videos and comments on Facebook claiming they saw the boat involved traveling at high speeds or being operated recklessly before the collision. Others have alleged the operator’s behavior at businesses and establishments along the Fox River earlier that day may be relevant.

Patch has not independently verified those claims. Investigators are asking anyone with firsthand information, photos or video to provide that information directly to Illinois Conservation Police.

Witnesses can email Illinois Conservation Police at DNR.LawReception@illinois.gov or submit information through the agency’s online incident reporting form.

Patch.com has reached out to the IDNR for more information but has not yet heard back.