A boater accused of decapitating a former Marine while allegedly driving under the influence cried that his "life was over" immediately after the fatal collision, prosecutors stated Tuesday. Richard Stevenson, 45, was reportedly operating his 31-foot pontoon boat at speeds approaching 80 mph within a no-wake zone on the Fox River when he struck a smaller boat, according to prosecutors and witnesses.
Prosecutors said Stevenson's vessel was propelled into the air by the impact, decapitating 49-year-old Magdalena Jablonska, before crashing into trees along the riverbank. Jablonska, a former U.S. Marine, was described by her brother in a GoFundMe as someone who "was always the sunshine wherever she went" and habitually helped those in need. Her fiancé was also injured in the crash.
A witness traveling with Stevenson told prosecutors that he had been drinking prior to operating the boat, consuming two shots of Fireball whiskey before visiting a bar and restaurant. The witness further stated that Stevenson allegedly continued to consume shots while piloting the pontoon.
Following the incident, Stevenson reportedly refused field sobriety tests, a breathalyzer, and initially declined a court-ordered blood draw. He eventually submitted to testing at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, where his blood alcohol concentration was found to be approximately 0.20, significantly exceeding the legal limit.
During a court hearing, Assistant State's Attorney Brian Miller described Stevenson as a "ticking time bomb" whose "bomb went off this past Saturday on the Fox River." Prosecutors cited Stevenson's history of reckless driving as a reason to hold him in detention pending trial, noting he accumulated eleven driving offenses between 1997 and 2005. These offenses included three drunk driving charges, three reckless driving charges, four speeding violations, and one count of fleeing and eluding police. Stevenson also received a misdemeanor charge in 2023 for driving between 26 and 34 mph over the speed limit.
Stevenson faces felony charges of reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence in connection with the boating crash. He is scheduled to appear in McHenry County court again on August 5. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.