'Drunk' Boater, 45, 'Decapitates Woman' After Crashing Pontoon Into Her Going 80 Miles Per Hour
Richard Stevenson was arrested for allegedly killing a woman with his pontoon boat.
July 28 2026, Published 1:45 p.m. ET
A reportedly drunk boater in Illinois has been accused of decapitating a woman after he crashed into her boat while going 80 miles per hour over the weekend, RadarOnline.com can report.
Richard Stevenson has a history of DUI charges and speeding tickets, and has been described as a "ticking time bomb" by local officials.
Richard Stevenson Allegedly Lost Control While Speeding in His Boat
The 45-year-old was allegedly drunk when he crashed into the other woman's boat.
Stevenson has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence after investigators said the triple-engine pontoon boat he was operating collided with another boat on Saturday afternoon — killing one woman and injuring another.
According to the McHenry County State Attorney’s criminal complaint, the 45-year-old had his boat at full throttle, even though he was in a posted no-wake zone. After losing control, he allegedly smashed his pontoon boat into another boat along the west bank of the Fox River.
A 48-year-old woman sitting in the passenger's seat of the other boat was killed instantly, prosecutors said. Her name has not been released.
Her husband, who was driving the other boat, was seriously hurt. Prosecutors said two people riding in Stevenson's boat with him were not seriously hurt.
Security Footage Captured the Speeding Boat
Stevenson was reportedly driving 80 mph in a no wake zone.
Security footage from a home along the Fox River obtained by ABC7 Chicago allegedly showed the vehicle traveling back and forth on the water at a high rate of speed. About a minute later, witnesses said they heard the collision.
Stevenson remained at the scene and was taken to a nearby hospital, where prosecutors say a toxicology report showed his blood alcohol content was 0.236, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08.
Multiple witnesses told investigators that Stevenson had been drinking throughout the day, and his passengers told investigators he was stumbling on the dock before the crash.
Richard Stevenson's Criminal Past
Stevenson has a history of DUI charges.
At a detention hearing on Monday afternoon, prosecutors revealed 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.
Court records from Florida also showed he was cited for careless operation of a boat in Miami-Dade County in 2022. The violation was resolved after he paid a penalty.
"This man was a ticking time-bomb and that bomb went off this past Saturday on the Fox River,” Deputy Chief Brian Miller argued at Stevenson’s detention hearing.
A McHenry County judge ordered him to remain in jail while he awaits trial.
An 'Unimaginable Loss'
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Stevenson will remain in jail for now.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese expressed condolences to the victim’s family, saying in a statement: "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," the statement continued. "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.
