Emotional testimonies heard during the first day of judgment for murder for Swan Boat Club’s clash

Monroe County, Mich. – It was an emotional First day of testimony In the trial of a woman accused of colliding against a birthday party, killing two children.

Marshella Chidester, 67, allegedly was drunk when he crashed his car for the Swan Boat Club in April 2024. Two brothers died in the accident.

The prosecution called eight witnesses during the first day of the trial, including two police officers, who moved at a faster rate than expected. More testimony is expected of those who survived the accident and those who can discuss evidence in more detail.

Background

Chidester faces nine positions, including two second -degree murder positions, two charges of operating under the influence, causing death and four charges of operating under the influence, causing serious injuries. If it is declared guilty, you could face life imprisonment.

Prosecutors said the 67 -year -old man lived next to the shipyard in Municipality of Berlinright next to Lake Erie.

The surveillance video of Chidester’s own house captured her that she left the accident day, carefully walking down the stairs before walking slowly, unstable and deliberately towards her car.

On April 20, 2024, families met at the Swan Boat Club in Monroe County To celebrate Kristyn Sigler’s birthday, when the Chid SUV crossed the building at about 25 feet.

The witnesses testified that they thought a bomb had left. The video of the cell channel and the body of the body showed the chaos, including the screams of the survivors.

Opening statements

“The defendant came out of his entrance path, accelerating his car … colliding with a small tree and then in the full size truck of his neighbor, forcing him through a work fence,” prosecutors said during the opening arguments. “The defendant then places his car in impulse and accelerates.”

When the Prosecutor’s Office began to present its case, the Court Chamber surpassed the emotion.

Some video tests were reproduced, a witness and an accident victim had to be comforted in the hall after testifying, seem to revive the trauma of the tragic day.

“Due to the operation, (Marshella Chidester) was the factual and immediate cause of the death of these two children,” added the Prosecutor’s Office while talking to the jury on Monday. “We must show that I intended to kill or intended to cause great body damage. In other words, he led through the wall of the boat club, with the intention of killing someone or with the intention of seriously damaging someone, or to the third mental state: that he created a very high risk of death or great body damage for his actions, knowing that death or great body damage was the probable result of what she did. “

First testimonies heard in court

On Monday, March 3, 2025, the first witness, Kristyn Sigler, took the position, telling the jury about the horrible scene and the heartbreaking moment when they tried to live at the SUV to a 4 -year -old child.

Sigler testified that he had left Facetime to a friend, and that call could have saved his life. When he went back to help, he said he listened to someone to shout that a baby was trapped under the SUV.

“I heard a baby cry and looked under the vehicle and shouted for a cat,” Jason Wickland testified.

Wickland testified that he and others tried to lift the SUV to free Little Zayn Phillips while Sigler attracted him to her.

“I put it in my lap, and the back of his head was bleeding, and his arm was lazy and bloody,” Sigler recalled with 4 -year -old Zayn Phillips tires, his godson. “But I asked who it was, and he said Zayn.”

Phillips later died. Sigler testified that his 8 -year -old sister, Alanah Phillips, was set and seemed to have been killed by impact.

“Alanah was embedded, but he had already left,” Sigler testified. “She was blue.”

Chidester was seen in silence in the court when the witnesses testified about the chaos after the accident.

Other testimonies heard in court on day 1

Denise Roberts, who testified that she had been beaten and lost consciousness during the accident, said that when she arrived in Chidester she was being placed in a chair next to her on the scene.

“She said a couple of times, ‘What happened?’ And she said: ‘I passed out.’

Several witnesses declared that they could smell the alcohol to chid breath.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s office reported that its blood alcohol level was more than double the legal limit.

The defense argument

Chidester’s lawyer, Bill Colovos, said she admitted that she drank came that day, but said she only had one drink, “that she didn’t even end.” They argue that she suffered a medical emergency causing the accident.

“She suffers from seizures and neuropathy,” Colosos said in her opening statement. He added that, although she had no convulsions all the time, when she did, “her feet go down very hard, the tests will also show in her hands.”

The defense also questions whether the Chidester blood raffle was handled and stored properly, which makes its BUs badly calculated.

“Now you have something fermenting, so you could have something that is .01 or .02 that becomes a 2.0 because it is fermented,” said Collovos.

The trial continues

The trial is scheduled to continue on Tuesday.

Due to the restrictions in the Court Chamber, Local 4 cannot publish any live video throughout the trial, and the images of the Court Chamber cannot be published until the end of each day’s procedures.