The Feb. 10 incident at a family ranch in Texas, where the shipping executive Angela Chao drove her Tesla into a pond, has been deemed by the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office as an “unfortunate accident.”
Angela Chao, a prominent American political family member, and the CEO of shipping company “Foremost Group”, was reportedly driving her Tesla while being legally drunk and tragically ended up driving it into a pond in Texas where she tragically lost her life last month, according to a police report released on Wednesday. The police report described the incident as an “unfortunate accident.”
Detailed in the report from the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office was a distressing scene on the evening of Feb. 10, as friends and deputies made frantic attempts to rescue Ms. Chao from her Tesla, following her plunge into the pond at a family ranch in Johnson City, Texas.
In the lead-up to the accident, Ms. Chao, aged 50, had dinner with friends at a guest lodge on the ranch, according to the report. At approximately 11:30 p.m., the guests began to retire to their rooms or homes. Subsequently, Ms. Chao entered her Tesla and backed into the pond, the report detailed.
A friend stated to investigators that at 11:42 p.m., Ms. Chao phoned her to convey that her car was submerged in the pond, and she was unable to exit. With the water rising, Ms. Chao expressed her fears, stating she believed she was going to perish and bidding farewell with “I love you” moments before the Tesla submerged, the report outlined. Their conversation lasted around eight minutes.
Responding promptly, the friend boarded a kayak and paddled towards the Tesla, while another friend ventured into the water, swimming to the vehicle and climbing atop it in a desperate attempt to locate Ms. Chao, the report specified. A third friend dialed 911 at 11:55 p.m. and remained on the line for 11 minutes, as per the report.
Upon the arrival of law enforcement and firefighters, they entered the frigid water and endeavored to access the car, notes the report. The driver’s side window was shattered, and a deputy submerged himself, feeling around the car until he discovered Ms. Chao.
Her body was brought ashore, yet medical personnel could not revive her, and she was pronounced deceased at 1:40 a.m. on Feb. 11. The report indicated that a toxicology exam revealed Ms. Chao had a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.233 grams per 100 milliliters, exceeding Texas’ legal threshold of .08 grams per 100 milliliters.
Following a comprehensive review of the evidence, Ms. Chao’s passing was attributed to an “unfortunate accident,” per the report.
A spokesperson for Ms. Chao’s father, James S.C. Chao, and the family expressed in a statement that Ms. Chao’s demise “was a terrible tragedy, and words cannot describe the family’s heartfelt sorrow.”
“The gratitude of the family is extended to the first responders and friends who valiantly tried to save her,” was expressed in the statement.
Since 2018, Ms. Chao had held the roles of chair and chief executive of the Foremost Group, owned by the Chao family, managing a worldwide fleet of bulk carrier ships.
Elaine Chao, who served as Secretary of Transportation in the previous administration of Donald J. Trump and as Secretary of Labor during George W. Bush’s presidency, is the sister of Ms. Chao. She is married to Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, who serves as the Republican leader in the Senate.
Along with her father, James S.C. Chao and Sister, Elaine Chao, Ms. Chao was survived by three other sisters, her husband, Jim Breyer and their 3-year-old son.
