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Judge refuses to release man accused of operating boat at 80 mph while intoxicated, causing crash that killed woman near McHenry
Lake and McHenry County Scanner • • nation
Key Points:
- Richard M. Stevenson, 45, was charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI after operating a boat at 80 mph with a blood alcohol content nearly three times the legal limit, causing a fatal crash on the Fox River near McHenry.
- The collision resulted in the death of a female occupant of the smaller boat, who was decapitated on impact; her remains were still missing days later, and her identity has not been released.
- Stevenson was arrested at the scene, refused chemical testing, and was denied bond by a judge due to being deemed a danger to the community; he has prior DUI and related charges.
- The incident involved two boats traveling north in a no-wake zone, with four to five people total affected; emergency responders conducted extensive search and rescue operations, including side-scan sonar.
- Illinois Conservation Police are investigating the crash and seeking public assistance for any witness accounts or video footage, while Stevenson is scheduled for a court hearing on August 5.
