An 80-year-old woman, who is said to be affluent, has been involved in a tragic incident where she drove the wrong way and killed a family of four in a San Francisco neighborhood. The judge overseeing the case indicated on Friday that she will likely not face prison time.
Mary von Rau changed her plea on Friday from not guilty to no contest for four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Bruce Chan referred to the tragic event as “incomprehensible.” However, he seemed hesitant to impose a prison term, noting that the defendant was remorseful and that sentencing her to prison would essentially mean sentencing her to death.
According to reports, prosecutors stated that she crashed into a bus stop in West Portal in March 2024, resulting in the deaths of her mother, father, and two young children who were waiting to be taken to the San Francisco Zoo. A “no contest” plea indicates that a defendant waives the right to a trial and allows the court to treat them as guilty for sentencing, without an admission of guilt.
Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, 40, and his one-year-old son, Joaquín, were killed shortly after the collision involving Lau’s SUV, which investigators noted was traveling over 110 miles per hour. Matilde Moncada Ramos Pinto, 38, and her three-month-old son, Kahue, were seriously injured and later died in the hospital.
The judge emphasized the importance of considering various factors in the case, including Lau’s age, her lack of a criminal history, her remorse, and the fact that her husband had also died in a car accident shortly after their marriage.
He mentioned that Lau expressed a wish to have her family in her place during conversations with medical staff following the accident.
“Mrs. Lau will live with the knowledge of the pain she has inflicted on others,” Judge Chan remarked.
The judge anticipates that any sentence handed down would likely be suspended for two to three years, and she will not be allowed to drive during this period.
Denise Oliveira, the sister of one of the victims, expressed her frustration in court, stating, “We feel like we have no rights… I don’t think this is justice.”
Parents of the victims have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Lau, accusing her of transferring assets to avoid financial repercussions from a civil lawsuit.
Rebecca Coll, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, commented that the new lawsuit reveals Lau’s intentions to shield her assets from grieving families seeking justice, highlighting that she appears unwilling to take accountability for her actions.
