A woman who was killed by an intoxicated and speeding boater in a crash on the Fox River near McHenry was a U.S. Marine veteran, described as “the sunshine,” and her fiancé, who was with her, witnessed her death.
Magdalena Jablonska, 48, of Des Plaines, died on Saturday after being involved in a boat crash on the Fox River south of the McHenry Dam.
Jablonska and her fiancé were riding in a boat north on the river in a no-wake zone when a second boat crashed into their boat from behind around 2:30 p.m.
Jablonska was instantly killed and her fiancé was injured and transported to the hospital.
The victim’s brother, Marcin Jablonski, said that Magdalena was “always the sunshine wherever she went.”
“As a U.S. Marine, it was natural that Magdalena was always helping someone in need,” Jablonski said.
“Magdalena was the sunshine in every place she went, and one of her favorite things to do was help dogs in need,” he said. “Please pray for my family in this difficult time.”
A GoFundMe account was created by the family to raise funds to donate to a dog shelter in honor of Jablonska. The account has raised over $12,000 as of Wednesday.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said that Richard M. Stevenson, 45, of Lisle, was operating a 31-foot black and orange 2026 South Bay boat on the Fox River.
Stevenson’s vessel overtook the second boat, a white and green 1997 Crownline, in the area of the 1800 block of South Fernwood Lane in unincorporated McHenry, the complaint said.
A witness told investigators that Stevenson’s boat was traveling at “full throttle” as it entered the no-wake zone and crashed into the other boat, the complaint said.
Jablonska was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, according to McHenry County Coroner Dr. Michael Rein and McHenry Township Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Chris Kozel.
The complaint said the impact resulted in Jablonska being decapitated. Prosecutors said her remains were still missing as of Monday.
A LinkedIn profile for Stevenson said he was a Vice President at Stevenson Crane Service, Inc., based in Bolingbrook, which advertises itself as a leader in crane rentals, aerial and material handling rentals, and rigging and heavy haul services.
The company told Lake and McHenry County Scanner on Tuesday afternoon that his employment in the equipment sales department was terminated.
“He held no leadership role, had no involvement in company operations and no ownership interest in the company,” the company said in a statement. When asked to clarify his exact position with the company, an attorney for Stevenson Crane Service refused to answer.
“Our thoughts are with those impacted by this tragedy,” the company said. The President of Stevenson Crane Service is Donna Stevenson, the mother of Richard Stevenson.
Rein said an autopsy showed Jablonska died as a result of blunt force injuries to her head and body. Her official cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois Department of Natural Resources Police also responded to the scene, in addition to 18 fire personnel with the McHenry Township Fire Protection District, Kozel said.
All other occupants involved in the crash were out of the water when the fire department arrived.
Officers made contact with Stevenson, who was in the trees off the shoreline near where his boat came to rest, and he was later transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry.
The complaint said a toxicology report showed Stevenson’s blood alcohol content was 0.236, which is almost three times the legal drinking limit. Prosecutors said in court his blood alcohol content was 0.200.
Stevenson was charged with one count of reckless homicide, a Class 3 felony, and two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing a crash involving death, a Class 2 felony.
McHenry resident Cody Bingham told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that he was at a celebration of life party at a home on the east side of the Fox River.
He was among the first people at the scene and found Jablonska dead.
Bingham brought the small white vessel, in which the victim was an occupant, to a nearby dock on the east side of the Fox River.
The second person on the smaller boat was transported to a local hospital by ambulance with advanced life support care, Kozel said.
The second boat involved, which was a larger triple-engine vessel, came to rest in the timber on the west bank of the Fox River.
Stevenson is the owner of the larger boat that ran aground, according to police radio traffic.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Police arrested Stevenson and transported him to the McHenry County Jail on the felony charges, jail records show.
Bystanders said the two boats were both traveling north on the river when the bigger boat was speeding and ran over the smaller boat in a no-wake zone.
Prosecutors and witnesses said there were five people involved in total. A dog was in one of the boats and survived.
Two of the occupants of the offending boat fled the area, prosecutors said.
A bystander chased after the operator of the boat, with officers making contact with him in the general area of the crash.
One of the two passengers who fled the area took an Uber from the scene but was later in contact with police. A police canine and officers were actively searching for the remaining passenger.
It is unclear whether the two passengers who fled would be charged.
Stevenson was seen talking with first responders in the area of the crash before being transported to the hospital and later arrested.
Court documents said Stevenson refused to voluntarily submit to chemical testing for intoxication. His driver’s license has been automatically suspended for the refusal.
Multiple witnesses reported to 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, prosecutors said.
Fire officials and sheriff’s officials said the Fox River was closed between the Stratton Lock and Holiday Hills due to the incident. The river later reopened around 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Stevenson appeared in Initial Appearance Court on Monday afternoon where the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain him pending trial, arguing he poses a real and present danger to the community.
McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb granted the request after finding there were no conditions of release that could mitigate the threat Stevenson poses.
Attorney Patrick Walsh, who is representing Stevenson, had asked the court to release his client from custody on pre-trial conditions while he awaits trial.
Prosecutors said during the hearing that Stevenson was driving the boat at approximately 80 mph and had been drinking Fireball Whisky.
“This man was a ticking time-bomb and that bomb went off this past Saturday on the Fox River,” McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office Deputy Chief Brian Miller said during the hearing.
McHenry Fire Chief Steve Spraker called the incident “tragic” and said it was a reminder that emergencies can “take many forms and that firefighters must be prepared for all of them.”
“Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family and everyone affected by this tragedy. We are also grateful for the outstanding teamwork between all of the agencies that worked together throughout this difficult incident,” Spraker said.
Illinois Conservation Police said this week that they are seeking the public’s help in determining what happened prior to the crash.
Conservation police are leading the investigation and are asking to hear from anyone who witnessed the crash, observed either vessel before or after the collision, or may have information related to the incident.
Investigators say they are seeking any photographs or video taken in the area around the time of the crash, including cell phone video, security camera footage or video recorded while boating on the Fox River.
Witnesses can contact conservation police by completing an online incident report form.
Court records show Stevenson has previously been charged in DuPage County in at least three driving under the influence cases.
He also has prior charges for resisting an officer, fleeing or attempting to elude police and battery. He additionally has three prior occasions where he was charged with reckless driving and four prior misdemeanor speeding offenses.
“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,” McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said.
“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,” Freese said.
No funeral services have been announced yet for Jablonska.
Stevenson is scheduled to appear in McHenry County Circuit Court again on August 5 at 9 a.m. for a status of preliminary hearing.
The incident remains under investigation by the Illinois Conservation Police and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.