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Marshella Chidester, boat club accident suspect, back in court

MONROE — Marshella Chidester appeared in Monroe County District Court for a preliminary hearing on Friday, August 23. Her attorney, Bill Colovos, was given three weeks by Monroe County District Court Judge Daniel White to file motions regarding experts and witnesses he would like to call during her trial.

White then granted the prosecution four weeks to respond to these requests – one week longer than usual. The prosecution believed it would need this additional time to obtain expert opinions as part of its response.

Chidester's next hearing is scheduled for October 18 at 10 a.m.

At her last appearance in District Court in July, Chidester pleaded not guilty to charges related to the April accident at the Swan Boat Club.

She is charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of DUI causing death and four counts of DUI causing serious bodily harm. The charges relate to a traffic accident on April 20 in which two children were killed.

Siblings Zayn and Alanah Phillips were killed when Chidester, 66, drove her car into the club during a three-year-old's birthday party on April 20.

According to a lab report submitted as evidence to the court, Chidester's blood alcohol level on the day of the accident was 0.18, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08. Chidester's attorney, Bill Colovos, had argued that the accident was the result of an epileptic seizure his client had suffered earlier and questioned the handling of the blood taken from Chidester to test her blood alcohol level.

— Contact reporter Connor Veenstra at [email protected]

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