Mongan takes plea deal in boating death

An Oregon man accepted a plea offer Thursday and pleaded guilty to the least serious of the several felonies he was charged with in the death of a Rockford woman in a boating accident two years ago.

Marc Mongan, 47, pleaded guilty in Ogle County Court to reckless conduct causing great bodily harm, a Class 4 felony.

He had been charged with seven felonies, including drunk driving, in the death of Megan Wells, 31, on June 24, 2016.

The accident occurred on the Rock River three miles north of Oregon when the johnboat he was operating struck Wells as it went over the back of the pontoon boat she was riding in, throwing her overboard, investigators said.

Special prosecutor David Neal, from the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor’s office, read the charge which said Mongan was operating his boat “at a faster than reasonable speed” when the crash occurred and failed to “give way” to the pontoon boat.

Defense attorney David Tess, Rochelle, said Mongan was pleading guilty to the one count and all others would be dismissed.

The charges against Mongan included one count of aggravated driving while under the influence of alcohol, a Class 2 felony; three counts of reckless homicide, all class 3 felonies; and three counts of reckless conduct, all Class 4 felonies.

Judge John Redington set Mongan’s sentencing for June 19.

Jury selection for the trial had been set to begin on April 23.

Prior to the announcing the plea deal, Tess filed a motion for a continuance of a 402 conference held on March 17.

Attorneys for both sides then met with Redington in his chambers for 45 minutes, and then the attorneys and Mongan conferred for another 25 minutes outside the courtroom before announcing that the plea offer had been accepted.

Attorney Cynthia Koroll, Rockford, who is representing Wells’ parents, David and Robin Swaziek, Loves Park, as crime victims, objected to the plea deal.

“I can’t tell the state not to dismiss charges, and I can’t tell Mr. Mongan not to plead guilty,” Redington told her.

He said the Swazieks and other family members will have an opportunity to give their impact statements at the sentencing hearing.

Wells’ mother sobbed softly when Neal announced that Mongan would change his previously not guilty plea to guilty.

After the hearing, Wells’ father spoke to the press.

“It’s been such a tremendous journey. We always felt the cards were not dealt in our favor, but we kept fighting. We just wanted justice all along,” he said. “Today he pled guilty to a felony charge that he took her life. To hear him finally say ‘I’m guilty’ was bittersweet.”

Swaziek said he would have preferred the case would have been decided by a jury.

“We would like the maximum penalties,” he said. “This has greatly affected our family and Megan’s kids. There should be consequences.”

Wells was the mother of three young children.

Neal said Mongan could be sentenced to up to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections with a year of mandatory supervised release, and fined up to $25,000.

“When I was first assigned this case and I reviewed the evidence, it was my opinion that this case warranted a felony conviction,” Neal said after the hearing. “This defendant will now have a felony conviction.”

Tess spoke briefly with the press after the hearing.

“Mr. Mongan made a very difficult decision today that he believes is in his best interests and the best interests of his family,” he said.

Mongan still is facing several civil suits filed in Ogle County Court, including a wrongful death suit filed by Wells' husband, Robbie Wells, against him and pontoon boat operator David Daily, 54, of Leaf River, who is Megan’s uncle; one filed by Daily and his wife, Leigh, claiming infliction of emotional distress by Mongan's negligent operation of his boat; and one filed by husband and wife Phillip J. Lukes and Sherry M. Bushre, of Chicago, who also were passengers in the pontoon boat, claiming physical, psychological, and emotional injuries.

A status hearing in all three is set for May 8.