The rich Texas housewife accused of plowing into and killing a person on a primary date whereas drunk and excessive claims her costly excessive heels acquired caught on the fuel pedal of her Porsche 911 Carrera.
Kristina Chambers, 34, went on trial Friday for manslaughter in reference to the April 2023 crash that killed 33-year-old Joseph McMullin as he and his date have been leaving a Voodoo Doughnut store in Houston.
Prosecutors allege Chambers had been bar-hopping with associates that evening, was 4 instances over the authorized alcohol restrict, and had small baggies of cocaine in her automobile and purse, in line with the Houston Chronicle.
However her legal professional, Mark Thiessen, argued her designer footwear prompted the deadly crash.
Thiessen claims his purchasers costly Christian Louboutin heels had gotten caught on the fuel pedal of her Porsche as she drover down “one among Houston’s most harmful curves.”
Nevertheless, prosecutors Andrew Figliuzzi refuted the argument to the jury — believing Chambers was “itching to point out off her sports activities automobile” to her two associates contained in the Porsche on the time of the deadly wreck.
About an hour after the crash, Chambers registered a blood alcohol degree of .301, practically 4 instances the authorized restrict, the Houston Chronicle reported, citing medical information.
Audio tech Briana Iturrino, who was on a date with McMullin that evening, informed the court docket they’d simply left Voodoo Doughnuts round 2:25 a.m. when she noticed blinding headlights barreling straight at them.
Iturrino testified that she realized the speedy sports activities automobile — estimated to be touring over 70 mph on the time of influence — was about to make a pointy flip straight towards them.
Within the blink of a watch, the Porsche whipped previous, lacking Iturrino by inches — and when she turned to shout a warning to McMullin, he had vanished.
“I assumed he had gotten out of the way in which, as a result of I couldn’t discover him,” Iturrino stated.
Iturrino stated she felt one thing brush towards her hip, which she first thought was the automobile, however later realized was McMullin being thrown about 30 toes as Chambers drove on and slammed right into a pole.
She then referred to as 911 and a dispatcher instructed her to carry out CPR till paramedics arrived, however McMullin died on the scene.
Chambers and her two passengers have been injured within the wreck.
The final supervisor of the close by Slick Willie’s pool corridor, Alfredo Ponce, additionally testified, telling the court docket he heard the crash and ran exterior to assist, the outlet reported.
“I’ve seen so many accidents on that highway,” Ponce stated. “Each time, I get out and assist whoever wants assist and is injured.”
Ponce testified that the crash was one of many worst he had seen and stated when he reached the sports activities automobile to assist these inside he remembered it reeked of alcohol.
Chambers was charged with manslaughter in McMullin’s loss of life. She has pleaded not responsible, with prosecutors alleging she was driving at an extreme velocity and misplaced management of her car.
Within the two years since her arrest, Chambers’ case has seen a string of authorized battles.
A wrongful loss of life lawsuit filed by McMullin’s dad and mom towards Chambers in June 2023 stays pending.
The go well with additionally partly blames Chambers’ former accomplice — hedge fund supervisor, Xuan Si, who filed for divorce from her simply days after she was launched on bail — for buying the posh sports activities automobile simply months earlier than the deadly crash.
Nevertheless, Si has denied buying the sports activities automobile for his ex-wife, claiming as a substitute that she purchased the automobile herself utilizing money from their joint account.
Si additionally denied that his spouse had a ingesting drawback, and stated he had by no means seen her devour medication or drive drunk.
Sebastian Lopez — a detailed good friend who was using with Chambers the evening of the deadly crash — described her as an “alcoholic” in his deposition and claimed Si knew she frequently drank and did medication.
He added that she’d pushed drunk “a handful” of instances, even after getting the posh Porsche.
McMullins grieving dad and mom are searching for over $1 million in compensation for his or her son’s loss of life.
Legal professionals in Chambers’ prison trial have been forbidden from mentioning the explosive claims within the civil lawsuit, which is slated for an April court docket date.
