The week starts with the beginning of jury selection for the trial of Marshella Chidester, the 67-year-old woman facing charges for the Swan Boat Club crash that occurred on April 20, 2024. The incident, which unfolded in Monroe County, resulted in the deaths of two children, 8-year-old Alanah Phillips and her 4-year-old brother Zayn Phillips. The crash injured an additional 15 people.
Reported by CBS News Detroit, Chidester is accused of being intoxicated during the incident. Her blood alcohol content was found to be 0.18, more than twice the legal limit in Michigan. Chidester faces two counts of second-degree murder, among other charges. A Monroe County sheriff's deputy, who conducted a field sobriety test on the day of the incident, indicated Chidester's visible impairment.
CBS News Detroit highlights that the trial is set to begin at the 38th Circuit Court in Monroe, presided by Judge Daniel White. Despite the defense attorney's motions, Judge White ruled that the blood-alcohol test results were admissible in court. Furthermore, White considered the boat club to be generally accessible to the public and, therefore, applicable to state laws regarding the incident, as Chidester's attorney argued, based on the crash occurring on private property.
Chidester's defense revolves around the handling of the blood sample used to determine her blood alcohol level. The defense attorney, Bill Colovos, has suggested that the blood sample was not properly handled, potentially affecting the accuracy of the results. According to Colovos' statement, FOX 2 Detroit reported that an officer handling the blood sample did not shake it after adding a preservative, as was revealed in court.
