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Man with history of DUI offenses charged in boat crash that decapitated woman: Prosecutors
ABC7 Los Angeles • • nation
Key Points:
- Richard Stevenson, 45, has been charged with three felonies including reckless homicide and aggravated DUI following a deadly boat collision on the Fox River near Chicago.
- Prosecutors allege Stevenson was driving a pontoon boat at 80 mph under the influence of alcohol, with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.20, which is 2.5 times the legal limit.
- The collision occurred in a no-wake zone, resulting in the death of a woman who was decapitated after being struck by Stevenson's boat, while her husband was hospitalized.
- Security footage and witness statements indicate Stevenson’s boat was traveling erratically before the crash, and two passengers confirmed he had consumed multiple shots of Fireball whiskey that day.
- Stevenson's prior record includes multiple DUI arrests, reckless driving offenses, and speeding violations, leading the judge to order his detention as the case proceeds.
