BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – The family of two children killed Saturday when a suspected drunk driver crashed into a birthday party in Monroe County is suing the driver and a nearby tavern.
A lawsuit was announced Tuesday, April 23 against Marshella Chidester, who is also facing criminal charges for allegedly driving drunk through a young child’s birthday party on Saturday, April 20. Chidester was arraigned Tuesday on eight criminal charges, including second-degree murder, after the crash killed two young siblings and injured several other people at Swan Boat Club in Berlin Township.
The crash killed 8-year-old Alanah Phillips and her brother, 5-year-old Zayn Phillips. The children’s mother Mariah Dodds and their 11-year-old brother J.P. were also injured in the crash, and were hospitalized in critical condition. About a dozen other people were injured, many of them hospitalized, as well.
Dodds suffered from six broken ribs, a collapsed lung, severe cuts and more, according to attorneys representing the family. Dodds’ son J.P. reportedly suffered from two broken legs, broken ribs, and a fractured skull due to the crash. They were both expected to have a “long road to recovery” ahead of them.
Attorneys for Dodds on Monday, April 22 filed a lawsuit against Chidester and Verna’s Tavern, the nearby bar that Chidester was at before the crash. The lawsuit claims Chidester was grossly negligent and operated her vehicle “recklessly” and while under the influence. The lawsuit also targets the tavern, alleging the business is responsible for selling alcohol to Chidester while she was “visibly intoxicated,” and failed to stop her from leaving in her car.
The specifics of Chidester’s state of mind at the time of the crash weren’t immediately clear, and were even being debated during the woman’s arraignment hearing Tuesday. The Monroe County prosecutor said Chidester’s breath test showed her blood-alcohol level was “well above” the legal limit, but her defense attorney said she only drank one glass of wine four hours before the crash.
Chidester’s attorney also claimed the woman experiences occasional seizures in her legs, and said that’s what happened at the time of the crash.
---> More: Monroe woman charged with murder in birthday party crash that killed 2 kids
Dodds is seeking damages of “whatever amount above $25,000 is fair, just, and based on the evidence presented at trial,” the lawsuit reads. The two children killed in the crash will be added to the lawsuit once an estate is opened for them, attorneys said. You can see the entire lawsuit down below.
Details from the crash
On Saturday, April 20, a birthday party was taking place for a young child at the Swan Boat Club in Berlin Township, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The club is located off of Lake Erie.
At about 3 p.m., a suspected drunk driver drove into the building, crashing into a wall on the building’s north side. The vehicle -- driven by Chidester -- stopped about 25 feet inside the building.
Alanah Phillips and Zayn Phillips were killed, while more than a dozen other people were injured. Nine of the injured people -- three children and six adults -- were taken to the hospital for treatment. It’s believed that count includes the victims’ mother and brother.
Nine people were taken to the hospital on Saturday in ambulances and air ambulances, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. One person, a 42-year-old man, received medical treatment on his own, officials said.
Here is a list of the people injured and their conditions, as of Monday, April 22:
- 31-year-old woman (Mariah Dodds), critical condition.
- 11-year-old boy (J.P.), critical condition.
- 18-year-old woman, serious condition.
- 16-year-old girl, serious condition.
- 14-year-old boy, serious condition.
- 70-year-old woman, minor injuries.
- 66-year-old woman, minor injuries.
- 62-year-old woman, minor injuries.
- 57-year-old woman, minor injuries.
- 42-year-old man, minor injuries.
Read the full lawsuit here
The entire lawsuit filed April 22, 2024, against Chidester and Verna’s Tavern can be found below.
GoFundMe set up for family
A fundraising campaign was started for the family of the two children who were killed, and whose mother and other sibling were seriously hurt on Saturday. The GoFundMe, which was verified by the GoFundMe platform, is seeking to raise $200,000 to help with funeral services, as well as housing and medical expenses for the family.
As of Tuesday, the campaign had raised more than its goal.