Lisle man accused in fatal Fox River boat crash denied pretrial release
A McHenry County judge ordered the man accused of causing a deadly boat crash over the weekend to remain behind bars Monday after prosecutors described the incident as a preventable tragedy fueled by alcohol and excessive speed.
WOODSTOCK – A McHenry County judge denied pretrial release Monday for Richard M. Stevenson, 45, of Lisle, who is charged in connection with a fatal boat crash on the Fox River that killed a 48-year-old woman.
Lisle man charged in fatal Fox River crash
The backstory:
Stevenson appeared in court wearing orange jail clothing during his initial appearance before Judge Cynthia D. Lamb. He faces two counts of aggravated DUI causing death and one count of reckless homicide.
According to prosecutors, Illinois Conservation Police responded around 2:30 p.m. Saturday to a two-vessel crash on the Fox River just south of the McHenry Dam. Investigators said they found a severely damaged 20-foot Crownline and a 31-foot SouthBay pontoon that had run aground nearby.
Prosecutors allege Stevenson was operating the pontoon when it struck the rear of the Crownline at an extremely high rate of speed before riding over the smaller boat.
The crash killed a 48-year-old woman aboard the Crownline, who suffered catastrophic injuries. As of Monday, authorities did not release her name or the name of the man who was injured with her on the boat during the crash. Prosecutors said Stevenson was later found in trees near the shoreline where his boat came to rest. Two other people who had been aboard the pontoon left before law enforcement arrived.
Stevenson was taken to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, where prosecutors said 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. Authorities also told the court Stevenson refused field sobriety testing, a breath test and initially refused a court-ordered blood draw.
Prosecutors presented statements from several witnesses during Tuesday’s detention hearing. One passenger on Stevenson’s boat allegedly told investigators Stevenson was speeding in a no-wake zone and ignored repeated warnings to slow down.
The witness also claimed Stevenson purchased Fireball whiskey at a gas station, drank two shots before getting on the river, drank at a bar/restaurant before the crash and consumed additional shots while operating the boat. The witness told law enforcement they saw Stevenson stumbling on the dock when he left the establishment, yet got behind the wheel of the boat. That same witness also said he feared for his safety.
A man who encountered Stevenson after the collision told authorities Stevenson was crying and said his “life was over.” According to prosecutors, Stevenson also admitted he had been drinking.
Dig deeper:
Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Miller argued Stevenson poses an ongoing danger to the public, pointing to what prosecutors described as decades of reckless driving offenses.
According to prosecutors, Stevenson has previously been charged with DUI three times, reckless driving three times and four misdemeanor speeding offenses. Court testimony also detailed prior convictions involving fleeing police and a revoked driver’s license.
“This man was a ticking time-bomb and that bomb went off this past Saturday on the Fox River,” said Miller.
The other side:
Defense attorney Patrick Walsh argued Stevenson is presumed innocent and asked the court to release him under strict conditions allowed under Illinois’ SAFE-T Act.
Walsh proposed GPS monitoring, home confinement, continuous alcohol monitoring through a SCRAM bracelet, a ban on operating boats and an order prohibiting Stevenson from consuming alcohol.
Walsh told the court Stevenson is married, employed, supports three children and has consistently appeared for prior court proceedings. Walsh acknowledged the horrific and tragic facts in the case, but continued to push for Stevenson to be given pretrial release.
Judge Lamb ruled the evidence against Stevenson was substantial and found he poses “a real and present threat” to the community. The judge cited allegations Stevenson was traveling about 80 mph in a no-wake zone, continued drinking throughout the day, ignored warnings from passengers and has a lengthy criminal history involving alcohol-related and reckless driving offenses.
Lamb ruled GPS monitoring, alcohol monitoring and home confinement would not adequately protect the public and ordered Stevenson held in the McHenry County Jail pending trial.
In a statement after the hearing, 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. Our prayers go out to the victim’s family, and while nothing can undo the tragedy that occurred on the Fox River, our office is committed to pursuing justice for her, her loved ones, and our community.”
