BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Michigan. –
A Michigan woman was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder and other crimes after prosecutors say she drunkenly crashed her pickup truck into a yacht club hosting a birthday party, killing two young brothers. and injuring several more people.
Marshella Chidester, 66, faces eight charges in connection with Saturday’s tragic accident at the Swan Boat Club in Monroe County, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Detroit, court records show.
Chidester, who has been in jail since the crash, was scheduled to appear in court later Tuesday, prosecutor Jeff Yorkey said.
A message seeking comment was left with Chidester’s attorney. The Detroit News reported that Chidester is a former commodore of the yacht club.
The crash killed Alanah Phillips, 8, and her 4-year-old brother, Zayn Phillips, the sheriff’s office said. Her mother and another brother are among the injured.
Authorities have not said who the birthday party was honoring.
The boat club off Swan Creek near Lake Erie is a membership-based organization that hosts holiday parties and other events and provides docking space for members who own boats, according to its website. The club also advertises on social media that members can rent the clubhouse or pavilion for personal events, including birthday parties.