Marshella Chidester, Berlin Township, Michigan DUI driver who killed two children attending birthday party insists she only had one glass of wine 4 hours prior to crash as she appears in court as bond is set at $1.5 million.
A Michigan woman who crashed her vehicle while drunk driving only to kill an 8 year old girl and her 5 year old brother at a kids’ birthday party in Berlin Township has insisted she only has a glass or wine prior to the weekend’s tragedy.
Marshella Chidester, 66, appeared in court on Tuesday where she faced two counts of second degree murder along with operating a vehicle while intoxicated where she allegedly drove her SUV into the wall of Swan Creek Boat Club where a child’s birthday party was being held on Saturday.
Alanah Phillips, eight and her 4-year-old brother, Zayn Phillips, both died in the wreck in Berlin Township in Michigan, while their mother, Mariah Dodds and elder brother, Jayden, are fighting for their lives.
Insists DUI driver, 66, only had one glass of wine 4 hours prior
Dodds suffered broken ribs, a collapsed lung, cuts and bruises, while her surviving son suffered broken legs, broken ribs and a fractured skull.
At a press conference held by Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough, the official explained how the alleged DUI driver slammed her vehicle into the building, along with travelling a further 25 feet inside because of her speed, killing the 8 and 5 year old siblings along with critically injuring other birthday attendees.
‘Nobody should ever have to go to a birthday party thinking that they’re gonna die,’ the children’s aunt, Raquel Smouthers, testified in court, The Detroit News reported.
During Tuesday’s court appearance, Chidester was revealed to have a history of substance abuse according to her friends and family, prosecutors revealed.
In seeking to have her bond set at $100K, Chidester’s defence lawyer, Bill Colovos claimed his client suffering from ‘epileptic-type seizures’ in her legs’ since November. He also claimed the 66 year old woman had only consumed a bowl of chili and a glass of wine four hours prior to the collision.
‘This is not a monster,’
‘This is not a monster,’ Colovos stated. ‘It’s horrible what happened, but there are some things we don’t have control over.’
Chidester’s lawyer also pointed out his client did not have a history of reckless driving or traffic tickets.
Countering the defence, Prosecutor Jeff Yorkey who sought bond be set at $1.5 million argued that Chidester showed no signs of having a seizure before the crash and that her blood alcohol level was ‘significantly over the legal limit.’
If the accused pays her bond, she will be forced to give up her passport, alcohol, wear a tether, and not drive according to FOX59.
Mariah Dodds the children’s mother has also now filed a suit against Chidester and the tavern she allegedly drank at before getting back into her car, according to AP News.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover funeral expenses for the children.
Chidester is scheduled to appear in a probable cause conference scheduled for April 30 followed by a May 6 preliminary examination.
