Heartbroken date pays tribute to ‘sweet’ Texas man ‘killed by rich merchant’s wife’
The wife of a glamorous dealer who mowed down a man in her Porsche 911 Carrera on a first date has blamed the fatal accident on the road.
Kristina Chambers, 32, punched Joseph McMullin, 33, as he walked on the sidewalk with Briana Iturrino, 32, after a night out in Houston, Texas, at 2:25 a.m. on April 20.
Horrifying footage showed her $100,000 supercar veering off the road and into McMullin before crashing into a pole at about 100 mph. She was reportedly four times the drink-driving limit.
Iturrino said she never imagined that Chambers – the unemployed wife of wealthy Texas trader Xuan Si – could make it through the turn because of the speed at which she was traveling.
But Chambers, who was left in a wheelchair after the horror crash, claimed through her lawyers in court that poor road conditions caused the incident.
Unemployed Kristina Chambers, who is married to trader Xuan Si (pictured together), allegedly drove Joseph McMullin while drunk in a Porsche
Kristina Chambers, 32 (left), crashed her Porsche at 2:30 a.m. in Houston, while driving at 100 mph while over the alcohol limit four times. She hit Joseph McMullin (right), killing him instantly
Briana Iturrino, who was on a first date with McMullin, spoke of the horrific tragedy, saying, “He didn’t deserve to go like this, he didn’t deserve to go now at all.”
Iturrino said she met McMullin through the dating app OK Cupid and they spent the evening at a karaoke night before heading to a nearby donut shop. As they sauntered down the sidewalk, Chambers reportedly drove down the narrow road and lost control of a curve, hitting McMullin.
“It was right where Joe is,” Iturrino said. ‘I thought he was on my left, I didn’t know he was on my right. And then it dawned on me how close the car had been to me.’
“I knew she wasn’t going to make that turn, I knew she was going to hit the sidewalk,” she said.
Iturrino added: “He didn’t deserve to go like this, he didn’t deserve to go now at all.”
Chambers, who was riding with an unidentified male and female passenger, appeared in court Wednesday on charges of homicide by drunkenness.
She had been drinking heavily and was four times over the legal limit, it is alleged. Chambers failed to make a turn in the road and crashed into the sidewalk, killing McMullin instantly.
McMullin, an audio engineer and music enthusiast, and Iturrino initially planned to meet on a Friday night, but she said the Karaoke Tuesday event “seemed like a great idea.”
She said after the event they were planning to get food and McMullin “asked me to take my car, and I said it’s not that far, we can walk, fresh air.”
Kristina Chambers, 32, drove a Porsche 911 Carrera at 100 mph under the influence of alcohol, prosecutors allege
McMullin and his date, Briana Iturrino, walk down the sidewalk as the Porsche approaches the bend in the road
Shortly after the crash, a devastated Iturrino can be seen talking to a police officer
Chambers’ wrecked Porsche is photographed at the scene in the early hours of April 20
McMullin’s body was flung 30 feet (9 m) out of the wreckage upon impact of the crash
The three passengers in the Porsche all survived, although the man was unconscious
Briana Iturrino said they had been at a karaoke bar and were getting donuts when he was hit
“I had this thought that we should jump to the parking lot in case she came onto the sidewalk and I couldn’t carry that thought out before it came at us so fast,” Iturrino said.
“I was on the phone with 911, they wanted me to try CPR. I knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to flip it.
“Someone came up to me and checked his pulse, I was too stunned to move. They said it was very bland. I stared at him and they said don’t look at him, just turn around and I did, but I didn’t want to pay any attention to him either.’
She tearfully added, I can’t believe it’s gone, and I looked at it and couldn’t believe how close it was to me either.
“I wish I had learned more about him. We had been texting for a few days so that’s where I learned a little about him, I know he loved his family.”
She told police she saw a flash and then tried to find McMullin. McMullin, whose body was flung about 30 feet from the wreckage, died on the spot.
Chambers made the Porche a post.
The passengers in the Porsche were not reported to have suffered serious injuries, although the man was unconscious when he was taken from the scene.
Chambers was charged Monday and appeared in court Wednesday.
Chambers and her husband of six years, Xuan Si, live in this house in Houston, which they bought with a $1 million mortgage. She is not working and he is the only provider
She lives in the Montrose area with her husband of six years, Xuan Si, a portfolio manager, in a large $1.5 million home purchased on a $1 million mortgage.
Chambers entered 339th District Court on Wednesday, still visibly injured from the crash, in a wheelchair with her arm in a sling.
Her attorney, Mark Thiessen, said Chambers broke her leg and collarbone in the impact.
He told the court she was not guilty and cited bad road conditions on the streets of Houston as the reason why Chambers lost control of her vehicle.
Thiessen described Chambers as unemployed and noted in court that her husband is the sole breadwinner.
Assistant District Attorney Kelly Marshall told the court that Chambers’ actions were criminal.
“There was a lot of alcohol in her body,” Marshall said, adding that traces of suspected drugs — possibly Adderall and cocaine — were also found in her purse.
Chambers told police she had a beer at 9:30 p.m. but nothing else until the crash.
Judge Te’iva Bell ordered Chambers held on $50,000 bond and banned her from driving unless she gets a job.
McMullin was remembered by his family as a kind and loving brother and uncle
Chambers must install a landline in her home to demonstrate compliance with those terms.
McMullin’s family paid tribute to a loving uncle, music lover and kind soul.
Born in Houston, he graduated from Stratford High School and later from Houston Community College.
His mother Lynn, father Chris, younger brother Matthew and his wife Anna all remembered him as someone with a true love of life and a large number of friends.
“Good people are attracted to good people, and Joe had nothing but wonderful people to support, love, and encourage him,” his obituary says.
“Life can be hard sometimes – he never gave up and always did the right things to persevere.
“He ran half-marathons, paved his own path to vegetarianism, and was confident enough to attend concerts alone, often way too early to be at the front of the stage. He lived through life so courageously.
“He was passionate about music, arts and entertainment, movies, social justice, and most of all, people.
“You could find Joe several times a week at a local record store, at a concert, or at a theater production. He enjoyed all genres of music and his record collection reflects that.
Joe enjoyed food, from trying new fun baking recipes to cooking vegetarian dishes to his love of Taco Bell. Joe also liked a cold Dr Pepper (or two, or three).’