UPDATE:
ALLEGEDLY DRUNK BOATER DETAINED AFTER DEADLY FOX RIVER COLLISION
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that the Honorable Judge Cynthia D. Lamb granted the State’s petition to deny pretrial release for Richard M. Stevenson, 45, of Lisle, Illinois, following his arrest on July 25, 2026.
Stevenson appeared in Initial Appearance Court today on two counts of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence–Causing Death and one count of Reckless Homicide.
Evidence presented at the detention hearing established that at approximately 2:30 p.m. on July 25, 2026, Illinois Conservation Police Officers responded to a fatal two-vessel crash on the Fox River south of the McHenry Dam in McHenry.
Upon arrival, officers located a severely damaged 20-foot Crownline and a 31-foot Southbay pontoon that had run aground nearby.
Officers discovered a 48-year-old woman deceased aboard the Crownline after she sustained catastrophic injuries in the collision.
The investigation determined that the Southbay pontoon, allegedly operated by Stevenson, struck the rear of the Crownline at an extremely high rate of speed before riding over the smaller vessel.
Following the crash, Stevenson was located in the trees off the shoreline near where his pontoon had come to rest.
Two other occupants of the pontoon left the scene before law enforcement arrived. Stevenson was transported to Northwestern Hospital in McHenry where blood tests revealed a blood alcohol concentration of approximately .200.
Multiple witnesses reported to investigating officers that Stevenson had been consuming alcohol throughout the day while operating the vessel and was driving at high rates of speed on both the Chain O’ Lakes and the Fox River just prior to crashing into the Crownline.
Further evidence presented at the hearing established that Stevenson has been charged with
- Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol on three prior occasions, .
- Reckless Driving on three prior occasions, and
- Previously committed four misdemeanor speeding offenses.
Deputy Chief Brian Miller, arguing at the hearing for detention, stated, “This man was a ticking time-bomb and that bomb went off this past Saturday on the Fox River.”
State’s Attorney Freese stated:
“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.”
Stevenson’s next scheduled court date is August 5, 2026, in Courtroom 302.
Members of the public are reminded that a criminal complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
= = = = =
Original post:
The driver of the boat which crashed into another boat at high speed on the Fox River is in McHenry County Jail.
Richard Stevenson of Lisle was detained in Initial Appearance Court this afternoon by Judge Cynthia Lamb.
Stevenson of Lisle could later make a motion to have his detention be reconsidered, but at this point he is detained until trial on August 5th.
Attorney Dan Nold of Nold & Walsh entered an appearance for the defendant, and his case has been assigned to Judge Gerhardt with his first court date with Judge Gerhardt is August 5, 2026, at 9am in Courtroom 302.
This is an interesting result of how “no cash bail” works now in Illinois.
Back in the days of cash bail, a big bond would have been set and since this defendant seems to have money, he probably would have posted that big bond and been released.
With “no cash bail” you are either detained or released, those are the only 2 options.
He is detained and awaiting trial at this point.
There is no getting out unless a judge reconsiders the points that got him detained in the first place, and he was probably detained because “defendant’s release poses a real and present threat to the safety of any person or persons or the community based on the specific facts of this case.”
