The husband of a woman involved in an ongoing boat rental controversy on the Chain O’ Lakes has been released from Lake County jail after appearing in first appearance court in Lake County Thursday, authorities said.
Steven Wooden, 41, of the 41000 block of North Westlake Avenue in unincorporated Antioch, is due back in court on July 3 after being charged with a Class 3 felony count of forgery for lying on official documents while trying to obtain required licenses to rent boats on the Chain O’ Lakes in 2024.
Steven Wooden is the husband of Kristen Wooden, owner of ‘The Boatyard’ in unincorporated Antioch, which has had numerous run-ins with customers and the law in 2023.
Steven Woodden’s ability to rent boats at Anchor Pointe Marina at 42125 North 4th Avenue in unincorporated Antioch – which is also known as AP Marina – remains revoked by the Fox Waterway Agency for illegally forging necessary IDNR documents needed to send boats out as rental watercrafts, authorities said.
Authorities said the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) requires companies intending to lease boats on the Chain to obtain boat rental license applications, then verifies each boat listed in the applications is worthy of being used for commercial purposes.
Following those reviews, the IDNR stamps and signs official forms and sends it back to the rental person or company, authorities said, who then submit the applications to the Fox Waterway Agency in Fox Lake, authorities said.
Steven Wooden submitted IDNR paperwork to the Fox Waterway Agency April 17 and applied for Fox Waterway commercial use stickers for dozens of boats at Anchor Pointe Marina/AP Marina, authorities said.
The forms submitted by Steven Wooden initially appeared to have been approved and signed by the IDNR or a registered agent, authorities said, and 26 rental stickers were issued to Steven Wooden under the belief the IDNR forms were valid.
Upon further inspection, however, Fox Waterway officials determined the IDNR never issued the forms Steven Wooden provided, authorities said, and determined Steven Wooden submitted forged documents to the Fox Waterway Agency to rent boats to customers on the Chain O’ Lakes.
Members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Marine Unit conducted the investigation and reviewed the facts with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office who approved the charge of forgery against Steven Wooden, authorities said.
Steven Wooden was arrested without incident Wednesday and transported to the Lake County jail, authorities said.
This is just the latest in a string of problems for the Woodens, who also own “The Boatyard” in unincorporated Antioch.
Kristen Wooden, 37, of Antioch, was arrested in July, 2023, following a confrontation with a renter who had an accident with a double-decker pontoon boat.
During an argument, Kristen Wooden grabbed the phone of a customer and threw it into the water while deputies were on the scene, authorities said.
Kristen Wooden was charged with criminal damage to property because of that incident, authorities said.
Following that arrest, several victims came forward indicating they had been scammed by Kristen Wooden over the course of three months, authorities said.
An ensuing investigation resulted in the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office charging Kristen Wooden with forgery, unlawful possession of a certificate of title and three counts of theft.
The most serious charge of those is a Class 3 felony that could land Kristen Wooden behind bars for up to seven years. The charges are also probationable.
Authorities continue to warn people who intend to rent a boat on the Chain this summer that AP Marina/Anchor Point Marina is not authorized to rent boats on the Chain O’ Lakes in 2024.