Wealthy Texas housewife on trial after fatal Porsche crash blames her $1,200 designer heels for killing man on first date while drunk and high
A wealthy Texas woman accused of killing a man while drunk and high behind the wheel of her Porsche 911 Carrera claims her designer high heels — not her reckless behavior — were to blame for the deadly crash that shattered two lives.
Kristina Chambers, 34, a Houston-area socialite and mother of two, went on trial this week for manslaughter after prosecutors say she plowed into 33-year-old Joseph McMullin at more than 100 miles per hour in April 2023, killing him instantly as he and his date were leaving a Voodoo Doughnut shop in Houston. The horrifying crash left McMullin’s body unrecognizable and Chambers’ luxury car destroyed.
The case, which has gripped Texas since it happened, took a bizarre turn when her defense attorneys argued that the crash wasn’t caused by drugs, alcohol, or speed — but by her expensive high heels. They told the court that Chambers’ shoe got caught under the gas pedal, causing her to lose control of her Porsche.
Prosecutors, however, say the evidence tells a very different story. Toxicology reports showed Chambers had both alcohol and cocaine in her system at the time of the crash. Surveillance video from the area captured her car flying down Allen Parkway moments before impact, with investigators estimating she was driving at least twice the legal speed limit.
The crash killed McMullin instantly as he walked to his car with a woman he had just taken out on a first date. Witnesses say the impact sent his body flying nearly 30 feet, and his date was left screaming in shock. “It was like a bomb went off,” one witness told local station KHOU 11.
Chambers, whose social media once showcased a glamorous lifestyle filled with designer fashion, luxury cars, and high-society events, now faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Her defense team insists she was not in full control of the car and that her “designer footwear” played an unexpected role in the tragedy. They’ve even suggested the Porsche’s pedals were improperly fitted for her footwear.
But prosecutors aren’t buying it. They allege Chambers’ lifestyle of partying and excess finally caught up with her — pointing to evidence of her intoxication, erratic driving history, and multiple witnesses who claim she appeared “visibly high” just hours before the crash. Investigators also revealed that she was traveling with a friend who later confirmed she had been drinking and using cocaine earlier that evening.
The victim’s family has called the defense strategy “an insult.” McMullin’s parents say they want justice for their son, who was described as kind-hearted and full of promise. “She chose to drink. She chose to get behind the wheel. Now she wants to blame her shoes,” his mother said outside the courthouse. “It’s disgusting.”
As the trial unfolds, the shocking mix of wealth, privilege, and tragedy has reignited debates about accountability and the double standards often seen in cases involving affluent defendants. For now, Chambers remains free on bond, attending court each day dressed in muted designer outfits — a far cry from the glamorous image she once projected online.
The jury is expected to hear closing arguments later this week, as the prosecution pushes for a conviction that they say will finally bring justice to the man who lost his life on a first date that ended in unimaginable horror.
