A Texas woman from an affluent background has been convicted of a tragic crime involving her Porsche and an innocent pedestrian enjoying a first date. Kristina Chambers was found guilty of fatally striking Joseph McMullin while under the influence of alcohol and drugs on April 19, 2023.

The incident unfolded in the lively Montrose area of Houston, where 33-year-old McMullin was strolling down a main road with his date. Chambers, exhibiting reckless behavior, lost control of her sports car and collided with McMullin, who tragically died at the scene.

Prosecutors revealed during Chambers’ trial that she had been flaunting her new vehicle, speeding through an intersection at a staggering 70 miles per hour. Her reckless driving led her to veer off the road, mounting the sidewalk where McMullin and his date were walking.

In court, it was detailed that Chambers’ night had included bar hopping with friends, during which she consumed at least six alcoholic drinks and used cocaine. This dangerous cocktail of substances contributed to her impaired state and the catastrophic consequences that followed.

They also shared how Chambers had gone bar hopping with friends that night and drank at least six alcoholic beverages. She also used cocaine, the trial heard.

Her attorney, however, declared the wreck a ‘freak accident’ and blamed the crash on his client’s designer Christian Louboutin heels getting stuck on the gas pedal.

The jury seemingly rejected the defense and late Thursday afternoon convicted her of manslaughter, The Houston Chronicle reported.

Chambers faces up to 20 years in prison. She is scheduled to appear in court for her sentencing Friday at 9am local time (10 EST).

Kristina Chambers has been found guilty of manslaughter. She faces up to 20 years in prison, but could also get off with just probation as she has no prior felony convictions

Joseph McMullin, 33, was walking along the main road in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood with his date when Chambers plowed into him. He was pronounced dead at the scene

Prosecutors said Chambers was trying to show off her new sports car when she sped through the intersection at speeds of up to 70mph, approached a curve in the road and jumped the sidewalk where McMullin was walking with his date

Jurors deliberated for eight hours before handing down their guilty verdict.

But McMullin’s mother, who was flocked by two dozen loved ones, was seen embracing her family after the jury handed down its ruling.

‘This is what justice feels like – I get it,’ she told the newspaper as she left the courtroom. 

Neither defense attorneys nor prosecutors addressed the media after the verdict. 

Rand Nolen, the lawyer representing the McMullins in a separate civil case, hailed the jury’s decision as a win for the family. 

‘This is a beautiful family, something horrible has happened, there will be a missing chair forever. Today is a good day for them,’ he told KTRK.

Nolen also doubled down on his claim that there was an ‘overwhelming amount of evidence’ against Chambers, who was ‘drinking, high, being reckless, driving down an urban street.’

The jury, which heard four days of testimony during the trial, will hear additional testimony Friday before determining Chambers’ punishment.

Chambers is facing two to 20 years behind bars, but could also get off with just probation as she has no prior felony convictions.

The defense is expected to present evidence that will sway the jury to pursue a lenient sentence, such as the fact that she is reportedly pregnant.

The prosecution will likely try to paint her in a negative light and may highlight her juvenile arrest in 2008 for possessing pills at a high school, the Chronicle reported.

A devastated Iturrino can be seen talking to a police officer shortly after the crash

McMullin’s body was flung 30 feet from the wreckage in the impact of the crash

McMullin, an audio technician and music lover, had been on a first date with Briana Iturrino when tragedy struck on April 19, 2023.

They pair wanted to cap off their first date with a walk to get doughnuts from nearby Voodoo Doughnuts.

As they left the shop at around 2.25am to walk half a mile back to their cars with their snacks and coffee in hand, Iturrino said she noticed a pair of headlights speeding toward them.

Iturrino testified in court last week how she realized the Porsche was going to make a precarious turn and head straight toward them.

But the sports car narrowly missed her, and when Iturrino went to go warn McMullin, she noticed he was gone. 

‘I thought he had gotten out of the way, because I couldn’t find him,’ Iturrino said from the witness stand.

At the same time, however, she felt something graze her hip, which she at first thought was the car.

Chambers is scheduled to appear in court for her sentencing Friday at 9am local time

Now, though, she said she realizes she felt her date being tossed 30 feet away as Chambers allegedly continued to drive before she finally crashed the car into a pole.

Alfredo Ponce, the general manager of a nearby pool hall, also took the stand last Friday. He told how he heard the crash and rushed outside to help, as he has sone several other times before.

But this was the worst crash he had ever seen, Ponce said, noting that the car smelled of alcohol.

Police have since said she was almost four times over the legal drinking limit at the time of her arrest – about an hour after the deadly collision.

Chambers has since been living in the $1.5 million three-bedroom, five-bathroom home she shares with her hedge fund manager ex-husband, Xuan Si, who filed for divorce from her just days after she was released on bail.

Under the terms of her release, Chambers was not allowed to drive unless she finds a job, was forbidden from consuming alcohol and must adhere to a curfew between 8pm and 6am.

But the restrictions have not seemed to stop Chambers from living a life of luxury, as she was reportedly splashing money on designer labels at the luxury department store Neiman Marcus and threw a glamorous birthday brunch for herself.

Various court filings suggest that Chambers’ life of luxury hasn’t ceased on account of McMullin’s death or the legal peril she faced

The details were included in a $1 million wrongful death suit filed by McMullin’s family against Chambers, Si and the four Houston bars she allegedly visited the night of the crash.

The suit accused Si of negligent entrustment for purchasing Chambers the $100,000 Porsche that fatally struck their son, which was paid for in cash just days before McMullin’s death.

His family members argue in the civil suit that Chambers was unemployed and financially dependent on Si, and he entrusted her to operate the powerful sports car despite knowing she was an ‘unfit driver’ due to her alleged history of alcohol and drug use. 

Si has denied purchasing the car for Chambers, claiming instead that she bought the car herself using cash from their joint account. He also denied that his wife had a drinking problem, and said he had never seen her consume drugs or drive drunk.

Yet records show Chambers told a social worker at the hospital following the crash  she drinks four to five alcoholic beverages at least twice a week.

Sebastian Lopez, a close friend of Chambers, who was in the Porsche on the night of the crash, also said in his deposition that Chambers was an ‘alcoholic’ and claimed Si knew she drank often and did drugs.

Lopez further testified that Chambers had driven drunk on multiple occasions with him, including a ‘handful’ of times after she got the Porsche.

Another passenger, identified in court records as Ms. Reyes, also told the McMullin family attorneys that Chambers was bragging that evening about how fast her Porsche could go, according to court records.

McMullin’s family has also filed a $1 million wrongful death suit against Chambers, her ex-husband Xuan Si (pictured together) and the four bars that allegedly served her that night

Since learning of Chambers’ alleged alcohol and drug issues, Si admitted he still hasn’t encouraged her to go to rehab.

‘I’m not a doctor,’ he said. ‘I don’t infringe on people’s medical decisions.’

The McMullins’ wrongful death lawsuit was filed in June 2023.

Si filed for divorce from Chambers a month earlier, on May 3, just two weeks after the crash.

Attorneys at the criminal trial are not allowed to bring up the allegations made in the civil case, which is scheduled to go to trial in April.