Man held without release after boating accident leaves victim decapitated
A boater who allegedly drove around 80 mph in a no-wake zone and catapulted over another vessel, decapitating a woman, is being held without bail, authorities said.
Richard Stevenson, 45, is facing multiple charges, including aggravated DUI and reckless homicide in a boating accident that took place on Fox River near McHenry, Illinois, according to court records.
Stevenson has a history of driving while under the influence, according to court records.
A judge ordered Stevenson be held without release on Monday, writing in an order that his pretrial release poses a "real and present threat" to the safety of the community, according to court documents.
"The defendant, while intoxicated, drove his vessel at about 80 mph in a no-wake zone, even when warned by a passenger, the defendant continued to operate in that manner, the vessel went over the top of another vessel and crashed," Judge Cynthia Lamb alleged in court documents, citing evidence presented by prosecutors.
"When the defendant's boat was on top of the victim's boat, it decapitated one of the passengers of that boat," Lamb alleged in documents.
A witness told responding officers Stevenson's vessel was operating "at full throttle as it entered in a no-wake. It collided with vessel 2, resulting in the decapitation of a female passenger on the second watercraft," according to a criminal complaint filed on Monday.
The McHenry County Coroner's Office identified the woman killed as 48-year-old Magdalena Jablonska.
Her cause and manner of death are still under investigation but preliminary findings showed blunt forces injuries to her body and head, the coroner's office said.
The boat Stevenson was allegedly operating overtook another vessel before he crashed into the timber on the west bank of the river, according to court documents.
Stevenson remained at the scene and was later taken to a hospital, according to court records.
A medical draw showed Stevenson had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.2, according to court records. The legal limit in Illinois is 0.08.
Stevenson allegedly told a witness after the accident that he was operating the vessel and that he had been drinking, according to court documents.
Stevenson also has a criminal history, including four misdemeanor speeding charges, most recently in 2023; three reckless driving charges, one with supervision and two with convictions. He also has two convictions for driving while under the influence, according to court records.
Stevenson is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 5, according to court records.
An attorney for Stevenson did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.
