A wealthy woman who killed a man during her first date blamed her high heels for the crash she caused with her Porsche 911.
Kristina Chambers, 34, faced a trial for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the crash that killed 33-year-old Joseph McMullin in April 2023.
McMullin and audio technician Briana Iturrino had just left a donut shop in Houston, Texas (USA), during their first date when he was struck by Chambers’ Porsche 911 Carrera.
Prosecutors claimed Chambers had been at multiple bars with friends that night, was four times over the legal alcohol limit, and had small bags of cocaine in the car and in her purse, according to the Houston Chronicle.
However, her lawyer, Mark Thiessen, argued that her designer shoes were to blame for the fatal crash. He stated that his client’s Christian Louboutin heels got stuck on the accelerator pedal of her Porsche while she was driving through “one of Houston’s most dangerous curves.”
Prosecutor Andrew Figliuzzi contested the claim to the jury, believing that Chambers was “eager to show off her sports car” to her two friends who were inside the Porsche at the time of the fatal accident.
Iturrino testified that she noticed the sports car was about to take a sharp turn directly toward them. In the blink of an eye, the Porsche sped past, coming within inches of Iturrino.
When she turned to warn McMullin, he was gone. Iturrino said she felt something brush against her hip, which she initially thought was the car but then realized it was McMullin being thrown about 30 feet while Chambers drove and hit a pole.
She called emergency services, and an operator instructed her to perform CPR until paramedics arrived. McMullin died at the scene, while Chambers and her two passengers were injured in the crash.
Alfredo Ponce, general manager of a nearby bar, testified that he heard the crash and ran outside to help. Ponce said accidents in the area are common, but this one was among the worst he had seen.
He also said that when he reached the sports car to assist those inside, he noticed it smelled of alcohol. The estimated speed of the vehicle at the time of impact was around 100 mph (160 km/h).
Chambers was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter for McMullin’s death. She pleaded not guilty, but prosecutors argued she was driving at high speed and lost control of the vehicle.
In the two years since her arrest, Chambers’ case has gone through a series of legal battles. McMullin’s parents are now awaiting the outcome of an involuntary manslaughter lawsuit filed in June 2023, in which they are seeking over $1 million in damages for the death of their son.
Photos: Houston Police / Facebook. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
