MONROE COUNTY, Mich. — The Monroe County community continues to mourn the deaths of a young brother and sister last weekend when a woman allegedly driving while intoxicated crashed her vehicle into a boat club where a children's birthday party was being held.
Marshella Chidester, 66, posted bond Thursday. She faces multiple charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, in the crash that killed 4-year-old Zayn Phillips and 8-year-old Alanah Phillips and injured several others, including the children's mother and older brother.
The southeast Michigan community is preparing for a candlelight vigil on Friday at 7 p.m. to remember the victims of the crash.
Dan Beazley lives in Northville, Mich., about 45 minutes north of the boat club, and plans to attend the vigil he worked with Berlin Township to plan. He's made the trek a couple of times with a large wooden cross in tow.
"It was just a tragic situation," he said. "That should've never happened, especially in an area like that."
Beazley said the vigil, which he worked with Berlin Township to plan, is important to the community's grieving process.
"I feel the need for what these people need in that area, " he said. "There's nothing that'll stop us from going and ministering with the people and praying with them and giving them the spiritual need that they have at this moment. Because they have nowhere else to turn."
Beazley has traveled across the U.S. with his cross to help other communities cope with tragedy. WTOL 11 spoke with him last year at Michigan State University after three people were killed and five were injured in a shooting, and in Uvalde, Texas, after a 2022 shooting at an elementary school left 19 children and two teachers dead.
But the tragedy at Swan Boat Club hits close to home.
"This is right in my backyard and when something like this happens in my backyard, I would live there if I had to," Beazley said.
WTOL 11 attempted to contact Chidester Thursday after she had posted bond by knocking on the door of what we believe to be her address just a few houses down from the boat club. No one answered.
For Beazley, he said his focus is on the victims, not Chidester. He hopes anyone who comes to the vigil does the same.
"We're there to pray for everyone," he said. "We're not there to create an issue in any way. That'll only make things a lot worse for everybody."
The vigil is Friday at Swan Boat Club in Newport, Mich. at 7 p.m. Beazley said everyone is welcome, but parking might be limited so he recommends people arrive early.