Woman who crashed SUV into Swan Boat Club in Monroe County, killing 2 kids, now target of lawsuit

NEWPORT (WWJ) -- The mother of the two children who were killed when a vehicle crashed into Swan Boat Club in Monroe County is suing the woman who was driving.

Monroe County Sheriff's deputies said the suspect, Marshella Chidester, was drunk when she crashed into the building on Brancheau St. in Newport at around 3 p.m. Saturday.

The lawsuit, filed by Dodds and her son, identified in the lawsuit as "J.P.," accuses Chidester of gross negligence, according to the Detroit Free Press .

Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough described the scene as “extremely chaotic” as the woman’s SUV went about 25 feet into the building.

The children who were killed have been identified by police as 8-year-old Alanah Phillips, and her 4-year-old brother, Zayn Phillips. Nine more people were taken to hospitals for treatment of their injuries.

The children's mother, Mariah Dodds, is also suing Verna's Tavern, where police said Chidester drank alcohol earlier in the day.

According to Chidester's defense attorney, Chidester's bar tab will show she only ordered one glass of wine, and that she crashed when she suffered a seizure behind the wheel . However, prosecutors allege a preliminary breath test showed that her blood alcohol level was significantly over the legal limit at the time of the crash.

Dodds and her 11-year-old son were critically injured in the crash, and remain hospitalized.

In the criminal case, Chidester, 66, is charged with two counts of second degree murder, two counts of operating while intoxicated causing death, and four counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injuries. She was arraigned Tuesday and was ordered held on a $1.5 million bond.

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