MI - Two children killed when drunk driver crashes into birthday party - April 21, 2024

[IceIce9]

Female suspect is a high-profile individual in the local community is my guess.

I’ve been following this case, and I am reminded of a vehicular crime back ten years ago where I lived. A woman ran over a police bicycle officer, left the scene of the accident, and a week later her attorney provided information that she was the person who hit the officer and fled the scene.

She was suspected of being under the influence at the time of the accident but since she fled the scene and didn’t turn herself in for a week there was no way of course to prove it.

She received no jail time for hit and run, which resulted in the death of the officer, and fleeing the scene.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Vigil held for siblings killed in Monroe Co. boat club crash

Dozens held candles and prayed for the two siblings killed in the crash. Relatives of the victims also attending, questioning why suspect is out on bond.

www.detroitnews.com

‘They were babies’: Candlelight vigil held for crash victims in Monroe County

A candlelight vigil is scheduled Friday for the victims of a deadly crash into a child’s birthday party in Monroe County.

www.clickondetroit.com

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Do we know what happened to the birthday girl/boy? That poor child will never be able to celebrate a birthday without this awful memory.

 

[pukasonqo2]

Reminds me of this case

GUILTY - CA - Mark & Jacob Iskander, 11 and 9, Killed by Drunk Socialite Rebecca Grossman in Veh vs Ped Hit & Run - Los Angeles, 2020 *GUILTY on all counts*

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/rebecca-grossman-can-keep-jailhouse-phone-privileges-judge-says/3370369/?amp=1 Judge ruled she can continue to have phone privileges. Bah. Seems to be caving to avoid any chance of RG winning an appeal. Oh well, as long as she has those privileges...

www.websleuths.com

 

[BrownRice]

How strange they didn't use this money to find her a good rehab centre before she allegedly hit the bottom.

Alcoholism is difficult to combat without help.

How is she going to keep off alcohol during on bail?

At least, in jail she might have got some therapy and detox.
Medical staff would keep an eye on her.

It seems to me she is in the grip of long-term addiction.

ALLEGEDLY!!!

JMO

Someone can have all the money and resources available, but in the end it’s up to them to stop. Maybe she’s gone to rehab before? Sad all the way around.

 

[Dotta]

Someone can have all the money and resources available, but in the end it’s up to them to stop. Maybe she’s gone to rehab before? Sad all the way around.

I guess she will get "free rehab" in the years to come.
Maaaaany years.
Judging by her age, it might be lifetime rehab.

Pity it will be too late for innocent victims

JMO

 

[acutename]

MC worked for DTE in some type of management position at the Fermi nuclear plant until she retired nine years ago. She probably made good money while she was employed.

nuclear power plant? eek (remember Capt Joseph Hazelwood?)

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Next court appearance Tuesday, April 30, 9:00AM. I wonder if toxicology report will be available by then.

CHIDESTER, MARSHELLA MARIE

9:00 AM

SCHEDULED FOR PROBABLE CAUSE CONFERENCE Location: Brown ATTY: COLOVOS,BILL , PROS: YORKEY,JEFFERY A.,

1st District Court Monroe County - Court Display

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Marshella Chidester has 2nd court appearance in fatal boat club crash that killed 2 kids

The 66-year-old defendant posted a $1.5 million bond only five days after she appeared in court.

www.fox2detroit.com

MONROE, Mich. (FOX 2) - The 66-year-old Monroe County woman charged in the deaths of two siblings that prosecutors allege happened because she was drunk was in court for a probable cause conference Tuesday morning.

Marshella Chidester of Newport waived her right to the 21-day rule to have her preliminary exam scheduled. Her attorney said the amount of discovery in the case would require more time to prepare for the appearance.

The exam date was scheduled for June 27 at 8:20 a.m.

The prosecution said it could take a day, maybe more to get through the exam. Defense attorney Bill Colovos said he may also call two witnesses for the exam...

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Attorney: Scene at Swan Boat Club crash looks like 'bomb went off'

Two children, Zayn and Lana Phillips, were killed in the crash and nearly a dozen others were injured.

www.detroitnews.com

Photos released of the immediate aftermath of the Swan Boat Club crash that killed two children and left nearly a dozen more people injured show a scene that victims said looks "like a bomb went off," the civil attorney representing the victims said Wednesday.

Detroit attorney Jon Marko added seven victims to the lawsuit he filed last week representing the victims of the crash, joining Mariah Dodds and her son, the mother and brother of the two children who died in the crash. Dodds' two children, 4-year-old Zayn Phillips and 8-year-old Alanah Phillips, were killed in the crash.

Some crash victims thought that a bomb had been planted in the club because of the force the car had when it went through the wall, landing 25 feet into the building, Marko said during a virtual press conference.

"It does look like a bomb went off (in the boat club)," Marko said. "If I showed these photos to you without any context and you saw the devastation and wreckage..., it looks like a bomb went off."...

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

This report appeared in The Detroit News last weekend. It's for subscribers' only and likely has a paywall. The article features two medical experts speculating on the impact that various seizure disorders might have had on MC's ability to operate a motor vehicle. During the brief probable cause hearing, MC's attorney mentioned that he would be having two witnesses testify at the next hearing in June. I'm guessing that it will be medical experts who will testify that MC wasn't drunk but had a medical emergency that caused her to plow into the boat club.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2024/05/04/medical-experts-weigh-in-on-conditions-attributed-to-swan-boat-club-driver-marshella-chidester/73441498007/

 

[mewmew]

Interview with Marshella After Deadly Crash

I can’t bring myself to watch it, but they did an interview with Marshella, the woman who crashed into the boat club. Local responses to this interview have been ANGER. Seizure or not, she should really just be silent right now, IMO. She clearly wants sympathy, and nobody around here is ready to give it. I am shocked that she did this interview. It’s in very poor taste (again, JMO).

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Driver had 0.18 blood alcohol result on day of Swan Boat Club crash, deputy says

Testimony began in a hearing for Marshella Chidester, who is accused of second degree murder and other charges in the Swan Boat Club crash.

www.detroitnews.com

Monroe — Marshella Chidester had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.18 on the day she crashed into the Swan Boat Club, a Monroe County Sheriff's deputy testified Thursday in 1st District Court, far above the legal limit of 0.08.

The blood alcohol test was administered at Toledo's ProMedica Hospital, according to the deputy. The prosecutor noted that the reading of 0.18 exceeded the state's floor of 0.17 or higher that can be used for filing a super drunk charge against an individual.

Chidester had a glass of wine with chili on the day of the crash, according to testimony at her arraignment...

After that, prosecutors opened a Thursday preliminary exam of Chidester by showing video of the aftermath of crash in April at the Swan Boat Club crash, with people screaming while others scooped up children and fled the scene.

One video from the boat club showed a car traveling at a high rate of speed through the club's parking lot and then veering into the building on April 20 at around 3 p.m. Another video showed people trying to clear debris and get to people trapped by the car against a wall. A child could be seen being pulled from behind a counter near where the car crashed...

 

[JoeFromLB]

A .18 blood alcohol level is extremely high and a person would have to consume four to seven drinks over a fairly short time, depending on body weight. There is no way that "one glass" of wine will produce that high a number.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

A .18 blood alcohol level is extremely high and a person would have to consume four to seven drinks over a fairly short time, depending on body weight. There is no way that "one glass" of wine will produce that high a number.

I agree. MC had way more than one glass of wine the day of the crash. She may have had one glass of wine with a bowl of chili at the local tavern, but she definitely consumed additional alcohol in the hours prior to the accident. If she "passed out" or "blacked out" and doesn't remember what happened, it was probably because she was extremely intoxicated. JMO

 

[ilovewings]

I agree. MC had way more than one glass of wine the day of the crash. She may have had one glass of wine with a bowl of chili at the local tavern, but she definitely consumed additional alcohol in the hours prior to the accident. If she "passed out" or "blacked out" and doesn't remember what happened, it was probably because she was extremely intoxicated. JMO

With that high an alcohol level and the video, this lady is in deep trouble. One can only hope she is not getting behind the wheel these days.

 

[Dotta]

Her defence of some neurological problems makes me soooo angry!!!
Does she think people are idiots?
Aaargh!

And what is this that her lawyer tries to block the video of the aftermath of her drunken escapade???

Truth hurts!
Deal with it lady!!!

I HOPE Justice will be done for the victims!

JMO

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Her defence of some neurological problems makes me soooo angry!!!
Does she think people are idiots?
Aaargh!

And what is this that her lawyer tries to block the video of the aftermath of her drunken escapade???

Truth hurts!
Deal with it lady!!!

I HOPE Justice will be done for the victims!

JMO

If it's true that MC suffers from seizures, I feel certain that any medication/s she takes for the condition comes with a warning about not consuming alcohol while taking said medication/s. JMO

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

With that high an alcohol level and the video, this lady is in deep trouble. One can only hope she is not getting behind the wheel these days.

IIRC, this was a condition for her bail.

 

[Dotta]

If it's true that MC suffers from seizures, I feel certain that any medication/s she takes for the condition comes with a warning about not consuming alcohol while taking said medication/s. JMO

Exactly!!!!