Repeat DUI Offender Charged in Fatal High-speed Boating Crash
WHO:
Fox News - Richard Stevenson, 45, is the accused boater.
Fox News - The victim is a 48-year-old woman whose identity has not been released.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Prosecutors from the McHenry County State Attorney’s Office are involved in the case.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Deputy Chief Brian Miller described Stevenson as a "ticking time-bomb."
WHAT:
Fox News - Stevenson was taken to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, where testing showed his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was approximately .236 shortly after the crash, or approximately a BAC of about .20 at the time of the collision.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Prosecutors stated that Stevenson refused field sobriety testing, a breath test, and initially refused a court-ordered blood draw.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Security footage allegedly showed the pontoon traveling south on the river and then, about an hour and 45 minutes later, heading north before the crash.
ABC7 Los Angeles - A witness found Stevenson near the riverbank after the crash, where his pontoon came to rest.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Prosecutors highlighted a 2023 misdemeanor speeding violation for driving 26 to 34 miles per hour over the speed limit in Stevenson's history of traffic-related offenses.
Fox News - Stevenson is charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing death and one count of reckless homicide.
Fox News - Stevenson allegedly crashed his 31-foot pontoon boat into a 20-foot Crownline at approximately 80 mph.
ABC7 Los Angeles - The collision resulted in the decapitation of the woman and injuries to her husband.
IJR - Stevenson was found in trees near the shoreline after the crash.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Stevenson has a history of three DUI arrests, three reckless driving offenses, and four misdemeanor speeding offenses.
WHERE:
Fox News - The incident occurred on the Fox River in Illinois, near McHenry.
ABC7 Los Angeles - The crash took place in a no-wake zone.
WHEN:
Fox News - The crash occurred on Saturday, July 25, at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Fox News - Stevenson’s next scheduled court date is August 5.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Stevenson appeared in court for the first time on the following Monday after the crash.
WHY:
Fox News - Prosecutors allege Stevenson was operating the boat while intoxicated after consuming alcohol throughout the day.
HOW:
Fox News - Stevenson was reportedly traveling at high speeds in a no-wake zone before the collision.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Witnesses reported that Stevenson had been drinking heavily and was seen taking multiple shots of Fireball whiskey.
(UPDATED July 29, 2026 04:03 UTC)
In a troubling incident, Stevenson was taken to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital after a crash, where tests revealed his blood alcohol concentration was approximately .236, indicating he was significantly impaired at the time of the collision. Prosecutors noted that Stevenson refused field sobriety tests, a breath test, and initially declined a court-ordered blood draw, while security footage showed his pontoon traveling south on the river before heading north just before the crash. Additionally, a witness discovered Stevenson near the riverbank after the accident, and prosecutors pointed out a previous misdemeanor speeding violation in his traffic history, where he was caught driving 26 to 34 miles per hour over the speed limit.
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(UPDATED July 28, 2026 19:27 UTC)
Richard Stevenson, 45, has been charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing death and one count of reckless homicide after allegedly crashing his pontoon boat into another vessel on the Fox River in Illinois, resulting in the decapitation of a 48-year-old woman and injuries to her husband. Prosecutors from the McHenry County State Attorney’s Office describe Stevenson as a "ticking time-bomb," noting his history of three DUI arrests and multiple reckless driving offenses, while witnesses reported he had been drinking heavily before the incident. Stevenson was found in trees near the shoreline following the crash and is scheduled to appear in court again on August 5.