Woman accused in Monroe County fatal boathouse crash posts $1.5 million bond

Monroe — The 66-year-old woman who allegedly was inebriated Saturday when she drove her car through a boathouse wall and killed two children while wounding several others is free after posting $1.5 million bond Thursday, a jail employee said.

Marshella Chidester "posted the bond this morning," Monroe County Sheriff's Office Sgt. William Dobson said.

Chidester will be required to forfeit her passport, have no alcohol, wear a tether and not drive while out on bond.

The bond was set Tuesday by Monroe 1st District Court Judge Christian Horkey during Chidester's arraignment on charges of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing death and four counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing serious injury. Chidester faces up to life in prison if she's convicted.

Police said Chidester was intoxicated at about 3 p.m. Saturday when she drove into Berlin Township's Swan Boat Club during a children's party. Lana Phillips, 8, and Zayn Phillips, 4, were killed.

On Wednesday, Monroe County Sheriff's officials said a 31-year-old woman and an 11-year-old male remained in critical condition while three others — an 18-year-old female, a 16-year-old girl, and a 14-year-old boy — were still in serious condition.

Sheriff's Office officials did not immediately return a phone call Thursday, nor did Chidester's attorney Bill Colovos.

Chidester, who in 2017 served as commodore of the Swan Boat Club, lives down the block from the club. She worked for DTE Energy as a manager at the nearby Fermi 2 nuclear plant. DTE Energy officials said she retired nine years ago.

Mariah Dodds, the mother of the two children who were killed, on Monday filed a lawsuit in Monroe County's 38th Circuit Court, naming Chidester and Verna's Tavern as defendants. The lawsuit alleges the bar is responsible for Chidester's actions because they continued serving her alcohol even after she was visibly drunk. Police said Chidester had left the bar when the accident occurred.

Bar officials have not responded to requests for comment. Colovos, Chidester's attorney, told reporters that a search warrant of Verna's Tavern found that his client had only drank one glass of wine and ate a bowl of chili for lunch in the hours leading up to the accident. He also said his client had experienced a type of neuropathy that affected her legs.

The Associated Press contributed.

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