Whenever the weather was clear, Magdalena Jablonska loved heading out on the boat with her fiancé and spending as much time as possible on the water, according to her family.
But one of those outings turned deadly when Jablonska, of Des Plaines, was killed Saturday after a speeding boat slammed into hers while in a “no wake zone” of the Fox River.
Now, her family is grieving and trying to come to terms with losing a loved one in a crash caused by another boater.
“I’m still in disbelief,” said her younger brother Marcin Jablonski. “I just keep thinking that I should have spent more time with her.”
Jablonski, who lives in North Carolina, said he had gotten a text from his sister just hours before the crash. She had sent him a funny video, something they often did. Jablonki said he never thought he would be getting a call later that day that his sister had died.
Jablonska, 48, her fiancé, Allen, and their dog, were out on the Fox River in McHenry when they were hit by 45-year-old Richard Stevenson, of Lisle, who was driving his pontoon at an “extremely high rate of speed” around 2:30 p.m., according to the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s office.
Jablonska suffered blunt force injuries to the head and body and was pronounced dead at the scene, said the McHenry County Coroner’s office.
Jablonska’s fiancé was also injured and was taken to a nearby hospital. He’s has been released and is at home recovering.
Jablonski said the loss of his sister has been devastating for everyone who loved her. He said his sister was a positive person who always saw the best in others.
“Whenever she was around you, she just made you feel special,” said Jablonski. “She never had any enemies. Everybody was her friend.”
Jablonska was born in Poland and moved to the United States in elementary school. After graduating from high school, she joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was stationed in Okinawa.
Joining the marines was his sister’s way of “challenging herself,” said Jablonski.
“She did very good in school, but she wanted to be a stronger woman,” he said. “She wanted to be more positive, more influential.
Jablonska later got a job working at Serve-Pro in insurance claims.
Candy Shoevlin said she heard Stevenson coming before witnessing the crash, which happened right her her dock.
“We heard how fast he was going, so we went to go yell at him to tell him to slow down, and we were running. That’s when he hit the little boat,” Shoevlin said.
Shoevlin said she immediately called 911 while her husband and son rushed to help pull Jablonska’s fiancé and dog from the water. Her husband tied the small boat to their dock as they waited for police and an ambulance to arrive.
Afterward, Shoevlin said they grabbed towels from their home to help dry Jablonska’s fiancé and cover her body. The dog was not injured, according to Shoevlin.
“It’s been hard,” she said. “My husband is a veteran, and he’s seen some stuff, but this one’s close to home.”
Stevenson was found in the trees off the shoreline near where his pontoon had come to rest and was placed in custody, said prosecutors. He was charged with one count of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated DUI causing death.
Prosecutors said Stevenson’s blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit at the time of the crash.
Shoevlin said Stevenson was known in the area for his reckless driving. She said he was often seen speeding through the no wake zone.
“People follow the rules, but this guy just never did,” she said. “It’s hard to miss his boat because it’s such a big boat. You can’t miss it.”
McHenry County Judge Cynthia D. Lamb ordered Stevenson held at a hearing Monday.
“This man was a ticking time-bomb and that bomb went off this past Saturday on the Fox River,” said Deputy Chief Brian Miller during the detention hearing.
He was expected to appear in court Aug. 5.
Court records show Stevenson had a history of driving under the influence. He had previously been charged on three occasions with DUI, reckless driving and speeding.
Stevenson’s attorney could not be reached for comment.
Jablonski questioned why Stevenson was still allowed to operate any sort of vehicle with his history.
“How many times does somebody need to repeat the same offense until they’re stopped?” Jablonski asked.
A GoFundMe has been set up in honor of Magdalena Jablonska’s passion for rescuing dogs, with all proceeds going to an animal shelter.
Contributing: Eric White, Sophie Sherry