One dead, three missing after boat sinks near Alcatraz
A deadly boat capsizing near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay has left one person dead and three others missing, triggering an extensive search involving multiple agencies. Senior correspondent Claudia Cowan reported live from the scene, explaining that the 49-foot cabin cruiser had 20 adults on board for a memorial service when it overturned in rough water. Investigators are still working to determine what caused the vessel to capsize as recovery crews continue combing the bay’s cold waters.
In a separate boating tragedy, prosecutors say an intoxicated operator with a prior history of driving under the influence decapitated a woman after slamming into her boat at roughly 80 mph over the weekend.
Richard Stevenson, 45, is accused of driving a 31-foot pontoon boat at high speed through a no-wake zone before crashing into the rear of a 20-foot Crownline on the Fox River in Illinois. The collision, which occurred around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, killed a 48-year-old woman and injured her husband after what prosecutors described as a day of heavy drinking, according to the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The woman, whose name has not been released, was decapitated and pronounced dead at the scene, prosecutors said during Stevenson’s court hearing Monday. A judge ordered him held in custody while he awaits trial, Fox 32 reported.
“This man was a ticking time-bomb and that bomb went off this past Saturday on the Fox River,” Deputy Chief Brian Miller said.
Prosecutors allege Richard Stevenson was operating a pontoon boat while intoxicated and traveling about 80 mph in a no-wake zone when he crashed into another vessel. (McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office)
After the fatal Fox River crash, prosecutors said Stevenson was found in a wooded area near the shoreline, close to where his pontoon boat had come to rest. Two other people who had been on board the pontoon reportedly left the area before police arrived.
Stevenson was transported to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, where prosecutors said testing showed his blood alcohol concentration was about .236 shortly after the crash. Authorities estimated his BAC was approximately .20 at the time of the collision.
Authorities also told the court Stevenson refused field sobriety testing, a breath test and initially refused a court-ordered blood draw.
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The Fox River, as photographed from the Wilson Street bridge in Batavia, Illinois. (Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
Multiple witnesses told officers that Stevenson had been consuming alcohol throughout the day while operating the boat and was driving at high speeds on both the Chain O’ Lakes and the Fox River just prior to crashing into the woman’s boat.
Further evidence presented at the hearing found that 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.
A McHenry County judge denied pretrial release Monday, July 27 for Richard Stevenson, who is charged in a fatal Fox River boat crash that killed a 48-year-old woman. (McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office)
Stevenson is charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence–causing death and one count of reckless homicide.
“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 L. 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.”
Stevenson’s next scheduled court date is Aug. 5. Authorities have not released the identity of the woman who died in the boat crash.
INC News has reached out to Stevenson’s attorney.
