A married couple died Saturday when their out-of-control boat veered off an Illinois river and crashed into a house, a violent crash that split the boat in half.
Heartbreaking surveillance footage shows the couple’s speedboat bouncing over a rough wake as it heads toward the Fox River shoreline in McHenry, a city about 60 miles northwest of Chicago.
The boat breached the shore and continued traveling 73 feet over the grass until it crashed into a house.
“The hull of the ship was separated into two pieces,” according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Passersby rushed to rescue the couple, who were trapped under the rubble.
Julie Mertins, 61, was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering blunt force injuries.
Her husband Timothy Mertins, 62, survived the initial crash and was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he died on the operating table.
The cause of his death was also attributed to blunt force injuries, according to a coroner’s ruling.
The couple was just one month away from celebrating their 33rd anniversary.
Julie and Timothy Mertins were just a month away from turning 33 years old. Davenport Family Funeral
It is still unclear what led to the Mertins’ tragic accident, and the Mertins’ toxicology reports are still pending.
Witnesses reported seeing his motorboat traveling “very fast” up and down the Fox River, the IDNR said.
The boat was “weaving and cutting back and forth through the water” until it reached shore at high speed and struck the house, which suffered minor damage.
Julie was pronounced dead at the scene.Julie Mertins/Facebook
A witness stated that the couple appeared to be making a tight circle at high speed when they lost control of the boat.
The boat made a “big circle around, back toward the rocks” and turned right still going “very fast,” the woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Lake McHenry Scanner.
The ship did not slow down before going airborne and crashing.
Heartbreaking surveillance footage shows the couple’s speedboat bouncing on strong waves as it heads toward the Fox River shoreline. ABC7
The couple were remembered as a selfless and loving couple who died doing what they loved together.
“They did everything together, from gardening to grocery shopping,” his obituary said.
“If Tim was the captain, Julie was the first officer and they loved getting out on the water whenever they could. “They would have celebrated 33 years of marriage on October 20.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn