A woman in Michigan was charged with second-degree murder after driving her vehicle into a building where a birthday party was taking place on Saturday, killing two children and injuring 15 other people, prosecutors announced on Tuesday.
The woman, Marshella Marie Chidester, 66, was also charged with two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing death, and four counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing serious injury, Jeffery A. Yorkey, the Monroe County prosecuting attorney, said.
She was given a $1.5 million bond.
Bill Colovos, an attorney for Ms. Chidester, who appeared before District Court Judge Christian J. Horkey, said in court that Ms. Chidester did not have any previous traffic citations and that she had a history of seizures since November, saying that she experienced an “epileptic-type seizure in her legs.” The court entered a plea of not guilty for Ms. Chidester.
Prosecutors said Ms. Chidester was intoxicated on Saturday when she drove her vehicle into a wall of the Swan Boat Club in Berlin Township, Mich., where the birthday party was taking place, killing the children and injuring 15 other people.
Persons:
Marshella Marie Chidester, Jeffery A, Bill Colovos, Chidester, Christian J, Horkey, Prosecutors
Organizations:
Swan Boat
Locations:
Michigan, Monroe County, Berlin Township, Mich