MONROE COUNTY, Mich. – Charges were filed against the driver accused in the deadly crash during a birthday party in Monroe County.
Marshella Chidester, 66, who appeared in court on Tuesday (April 23), faces eight charges, including two counts of second-degree murder.
The judge set her bond at $1.5 million.
The tragedy happened over the weekend at the Swan Boat Club during a children’s birthday party.
Siblings Alanah Phillips, 8, and Zayn Phillips, 5, are two siblings who were killed in the crash last Saturday. Among those severely hurt were their older brother and mother, who now has multiple injuries herself.
Their mother, Mariah Dodds, is recovering from six broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a broken heart.
Dodds had just started working at her restaurant in three weeks ago, and she had made a significant impact in that short time.
The staff there is devastated that she lost two children and ended up being injured herself after just going to a birthday party, but they’re stepping up for her as much as they can.
“I was very, very sad because she was going to help her best friend set up the birthday party,” said the owner and head chef of Adelita’s restaurant, Natalia Rodriguez. “She was looking forward to it.”
That was one of the last times Rodriguez saw her employee before the horrifying day that played out at Swan Boat Club.
“I heard the news, but I had no idea it was her,” Rodriguez said.
The Southeast Michigan community continues to be supportive with a GoFundMe page that’s raised over $200,000, but Rodriguez and her staff wanted to do more.
To help, the restaurant gives a percentage of every sale to Dodd’s family. The store was so busy that it had to close because it ran out of food.
“I just immediately thought that we had to do something,” Rodriguez said.
The donations for the family’s recovery keep coming in while prayers keep going up.
“I mean, the money is never going to bring back her children, but it’s something that we’d like to do to help towards what’s going to come after,” Rodriguez said.
It’ll be the same on Wednesday, and a portion of the sales will go toward Dodds and her family.
Local 4 knows the family is expected to do a press conference Wednesday morning with a lawyer about a lawsuit being filed against Chidester.