Who were Julie and Timothy Mertins? Married couple die after speeding motorboat veers off Illinois river and crashes into house
MCHENRY, ILLINOIS: Julie Mertins, 61, and Timothy Mertins, 62, a married couple who were described as selfless and devoted, reportedly died on Saturday, September 30, when their speeding boat veered off of an Illinois river and into a house, causing a horrific collision that broke the vessel in half.
Moreover, alarming security footage has been recovered showing the couple's motorboat bouncing over a choppy wake as it heads for the coastline in McHenry, a city about 60 miles northwest of Chicago.
The vessel rammed into the shore and then sped along the grass for 73 feet before crashing into a house. "The hull of the boat was separated into two pieces," stated the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, as per the New York Post.
How did Julie and Timothy Mertins?
The couple were trapped beneath the wreckage as others raced to their aid, and Julie was declared dead on the spot after sustaining blunt force injuries. Her husband Timothy was evacuated to a nearby hospital, where he died on the operating table after surviving the initial collision.
"They did everything together from yard work to grocery shopping," their obituary said, adding, "If Tim was the Captain, Julie was First Mate, and they loved getting out on the water every chance they had. They would have celebrated 33 years of marriage on October 20th."
How did the deadly collision happen?
The cause of the tragic collision is still unknown and toxicology findings are yet awaited.
According to the IDNR, witnesses claimed to have seen their motorboat zipping up and down the Fox River at a "very fast" rate.
The boat was "weaving and cutting back and forth across the water" when it slammed into the house and the coastline at a high rate of speed.
Julie and Timothy allegedly lost control of the motorboat while making what looked to be a tight circle at a high speed, as per a witness.
A woman, who wished to remain unidentified, told the Lake McHenry Scanner that the boat made a "huge circle around, back toward the rocks" and made a right-hand turn while still moving "really fast." Then it took off and plummeted into the air, the boat did not slow down.
Timothy's sister, Karen Mertins, shared a heartfelt post on Facebook, writing, "It’s with a heavy heart that I have to say goodbye to my brother and sister-in-law. They will be forever in our hearts. May they rest in peace."
