Fox River Boating Crash in McHenry Leads to Murder Charge Against Lisle Man

Woman killed after boat collision in McHenry no-wake zone

A Lisle man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with a fatal Fox River boating crash in McHenry that killed a 48-year-old Des Plaines woman on July 25, according to the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Richard Stevenson, 45, is accused of operating a speeding pontoon boat while intoxicated when it struck another boat in a no-wake zone on the river in suburban McHenry. The collision killed Magdalena Jablonska, who had been on the water with her fiancé, Alan Telmini, and the couple’s dog, authorities said.

Jablonska was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the McHenry County Coroner’s Office. Telmini was injured in the crash and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Sasha, the couple’s dog, was not injured.

Nine-count indictment includes murder and watercraft DUI allegations

Court records show Stevenson faces charges including first-degree murder, reckless homicide, four counts of aggravated driving under the influence and four counts of operating a watercraft under the influence. Prosecutors said he entered not-guilty pleas Friday to several counts in a nine-count indictment, including felony murder and aggravated DUI.

Authorities have alleged that Stevenson’s blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit when the crash occurred. The State’s Attorney’s Office said Stevenson was found near the shoreline after his pontoon boat came to rest there following the collision.

Stevenson was initially arrested on one count of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated DUI causing death. The filing of a murder charge significantly raises the stakes in the case, which centers on allegations of intoxicated boating in an area where operators are required to travel slowly enough to avoid producing a wake.

No-wake zones are intended to protect people in smaller vessels, shoreline property and river users from the hazards created by high-speed boat traffic. Illinois law prohibits operating a watercraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and boating-under-the-influence investigations are handled by conservation officers alongside other law-enforcement agencies.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources State Conservation Police continue to investigate the Fox River collision. Separately, Jablonska’s family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Stevenson last week.

Stevenson is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 23. The criminal case and the State Conservation Police investigation remain ongoing.