Elderly Driver Pleads No Contest in Fatal SF Crash

In San Francisco's West Portal neighborhood on March 16, 2024, an 80-year-old driver struck a bus stop with her Mercedes SUV at speeds exceeding 70 miles per hour, killing a family of four who were waiting for transportation to the zoo. Mary Fong Lau, the driver, entered a no-contest plea Friday to four felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter in San Francisco Superior Court, prompting a judge to indicate she would likely receive probation rather than prison time.

The victims were Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, 40, an Apple executive; his wife, Matilde Moncada Ramos Pinto, 38; their 1-year-old son, Joaquim Ramos Pinto de Oliveira; and their 3-month-old son, Cauê Ramos Pinto de Oliveira. Diego and Joaquim died at the scene near the West Portal Branch Library, while Matilde and Cauê succumbed to their injuries in the hospital days later. Prosecutors described the crash as occurring when Lau's vehicle plowed into the transit shelter, injuring others as well.

Judge Bruce Chan, presiding over the case, called the loss of life incomprehensible but emphasized his duty to weigh multiple factors in sentencing. He cited Lau's advanced age, lack of prior criminal history, and expressions...