Current:Home > NewsMichigan woman charged in boat club crash that killed 2 children released on bond -Legacy Profit Partners
Michigan woman charged in boat club crash that killed 2 children released on bond
View
Date:2025-04-14 06:38:51
A Michigan woman facing eight charges stemming from a crash that killed two children at a boat club was released Thursday on a $1.5 million bond, according to the jail and her attorney.
Marshella Chidester, 66, is accused of slamming an SUV into the Swan Boat Club, where a birthday party was taking place on Saturday about 30 minutes southwest of Detroit. Two children died and over a dozen others were injured, with several still hospitalized.
The Newport, Michigan, woman was released two days after she was arraigned in Monroe County District Court on the charges, which include two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of driving while intoxicated, causing death.
Two siblings, 8-year-old Alanah Phillips and 4-year-old Zayn Phillips, were killed. Their mother, Mariah Dodds and her 11-year-old son survived, though he's facing serious injuries including broken legs and ribs and a fractured skull.
Chidester suffers from 'epileptic type seizures,' attourney says
Bill Colovos, Chidester's attorney, argued in court that his client suffers from "epileptic-type seizures" in her legs and that she only had one glass of wine the day of the crash.
Upon Chidester's release Thursday, Colovos emphasized that a medical issue caused the crash, adding that his client suffers from neuropathy, "blacked out" from a seizure and is "very remorseful."
"She feels absolutely horrible. To black out, then all of the sudden be told that two young children were killed. Colovos told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. "It's like a bad dream you wake up from."
Chidester started having the seizures in November and a doctor told her to stop driving for two months, but did not restrict her further, Colovos said in court earlier this week.
Alcohol breath test exceeded legal limit, prosecutor says
Monroe County prosecutor Jeffery Yorkey said in court that a preliminary alcohol breath test was "significantly over the legal limit" but did not specify what the results were. Colovos said he is still waiting on a medical report that would determine his client's blood-alcohol level around the time of the crash.
"Believe me, I'm waiting for it," Colovos said.
Yorkey asked for the $1.5 million cash bond, pointing to what he says is a history of "severe substance abuse."
Judge Christian Horkey agreed to the bond and set conditions upon her release: Chidester is prohibited from consuming alcohol or any illegal substances and is not allowed to drive. She must undergo substance abuse testing and monitoring, which includes wearing a tether, Horkey said.
Mother sues nearby restaurant Chidester visited
Dodds filed a lawsuit against Chidester and the restaurant that police say Chidester was drinking at earlier in the day of the crash. The business temporarily closed after the crash due to the police investigation.
The lawsuit accuses Chidester of gross negligence, alleging she drove into the north wall of the boat club fast enough to enter about 25 feet inside the building until her car stopped.
The lawsuit also accuses the restaurant of selling Chidester alcohol while she was visibly intoxicated.
Angie Huffman, who said her mother owns the restaurant, confirmed in an email to the Free Press that Chidester visited the restaurant at 11 a.m., saying she had one glass of wine and a bowl of soup. Huffman said she's confident the police investigation will show the restaurant is "not at fault."
Family receives over $224,000 in donations
A GoFundMe for the family was linked at the club's website and raised over $224,000 as of Thursday. The funds will go toward funeral and burial costs, as well as future medical and other incurred expenses as the family mourns.
In an update Tuesday, the page said funeral service arrangements are on hold until the parents "are in a more stable condition for such decisions and planning."
Contributing: Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press
veryGood! (9)
Related
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Stuffed or real? Photos show groundhog stuck inside claw machine
- Traveling? Here Are the Best Life-Saving Travel Accessories You Need To Pack, Starting at Just $7
- Conservative are pushing a ‘parental rights’ agenda in Florida school board races. But will it work?
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- Julianne Hough Shares She Was Sexually Abused at Age 4
- 'Love Island UK' stars Molly-Mae Hague, Tommy Fury announce split after 5 years
- Usher Cancels Atlanta Concert Hours Before Show to Rest and Heal
- Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
- Anchorage police shoot, kill teenage girl who had knife; 6th police shooting in 3 months
Ranking
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- Hideki Matsuyama will be without regular caddie, coach after their passports and visas were stolen
- PHOTO COLLECTION: AP Top Photos of the Day Thursday August 15, 2024
- North Dakota lawmaker dies at 54 following cancer battle
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Democrats try to block Green Party from presidential ballot in Wisconsin, citing legal issues
- 'Alien: Romulus' movie review: Familiar sci-fi squirms get a sheen of freshness
- California man accused of slashing teen's throat after sexual assault: Police
Recommendation
A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
Violent crime is rapidly declining. See which cities are seeing drops in homicides.
Democrats try to block Green Party from presidential ballot in Wisconsin, citing legal issues
Giants trading Jordan Phillips to Cowboys in rare deal between NFC East rivals
San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
'Rust' movie director Joel Souza breaks silence on Alec Baldwin shooting: 'It’s bizarre'
As students return, US colleges brace for a resurgence in activism against the war in Gaza
Iran police shot a woman while trying to seize her car over hijab law violation, activists say