BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WTVG) – A woman who was convicted of killing two children and injuring several others after drunkenly crashing her car into a birthday party in April 2024 was sentenced to prison on Thursday.
According to court records, Marshella Chidester, 67, of Newport, appeared in court on May 15 where Judge Daniel White sentenced her to serve 25 to 50 years in prison.
On April 20, 2024, Chidester drove her vehicle into the Swan Boat Club in Berlin Township where a birthday party was taking place. Two siblings, ages 4 and 8, were killed and 15 others were injured. The children who were killed were later identified as Zayn and Alanah Phillips.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said nine people were taken to area hospitals by first responders while others went to hospitals in private vehicles to get checked out.
Chidester was taken into custody and charged for operating while intoxicated causing death. The sheriff says her vehicle stopped 25 feet after slamming through the wall.
In addition to the charges, Chidester was also facing a lawsuit, filed by the family of Alanah and Zayn Phillips. The lawsuit, which was also filed against Verna’s Tavern, claims Chidester was allegedly drinking at Verna’s Tavern prior to the crash.
A few months later, on July 12, Chidester appeared in court where she pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of Operating While Intoxicated Causing Death and five counts of Operating While Intoxicated Causing Serious Injury.
Chidester’s murder trial began on March 3, 2025. Throughout the three-day trial, a jury heard testimony from surviving victims, the mother of the children who were killed and forensic investigators.
On March 6, the jury found Chidester guilty on two counts of murder, two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, and five counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious injury.
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This article was published by WTVG on 2025-05-15 15:52:00
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