Couple Dies After Getting Trapped When Boat Crashes Ashore, Splits in Half and Hits Home

The victims, identified as Julie and Timothy Mertins, were remembered as "kind-hearted" people who "raised two great kids" together

An Illinois couple died after becoming trapped underneath a boat they were traveling in.

Illinois’ Department of Natural Resources said an open motorboat was traveling “very fast” on the Fox River in McHenry on Saturday when it came ashore, hit a home and split in half, according to the Lake and McHenry County Scanner and Northwest Herald.

The two were trapped underneath the boat as a result of the crash, the outlets reported.

A female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene near the 600 block of Country Club Drive, Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said in a press release obtained by PEOPLE.

The McHenry County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Julie Mertins, of McHenry, according to a separate press release, obtained by PEOPLE. The woman seemingly died of blunt force injuries suffered in the crash, officials said.

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A man, identified as 62-year-old Timothy Mertins, of McHenry, was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center via medical helicopter, where he later died in the operating room, Banek said.

The victims were husband and wife, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director of Communications Jayette Bolinski said, according to the Scanner.

Preliminary results of an autopsy conducted Monday indicate that Timothy also “died from Blunt Force Injuries as a result of the crash,” according to the Lake County coroner’s release.

IDNR did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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One witness ran outside after hearing the crash, at which time he found the boat “flipped over” and “cracked in half,” according to WGN-TV.

Connor Lively said he told someone to call for help before trying to help move the boat off the woman, who seemingly was not breathing, and the man, who appeared to be unconscious.

The home hit by the boat did not sustain serious damage in the crash, according to the Scanner.

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Julie’s longtime friend, Sandi Schober, remembered the couple as “always kind-hearted, giving, hardworking people” who “raised two great kids” together, according to the Herald.

“We really had a lot of laughs and great memories,” said Schober, who described them as “positive people.”

ICP is still investigating the crash.

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