Elderly Woman Given Probation After Fatal Crash

An 80-year-old woman, accused of killing four family members while driving, is set to receive probation instead of jail time, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

In March 2024, Mary von Lau crashed her vehicle into a bus stop in West Portal, leading to the tragic deaths of a family waiting to head to the San Francisco Zoo. A judge indicated that Lau would likely have her sentence suspended for two to three years, as reported by a local CBS affiliate, KPIX.

On Friday, Lau changed her plea from “not guilty” to “no contest,” which was documented in court records.

Several months after the accident, then-Mayor London Breed and the director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority spoke about safety improvements in the area. They held a ceremony to highlight the installation of new traffic bollards around the bus stop, with the city expanding its transportation budget to over $1.5 billion for the fiscal year 2024.

A user on social media noted the improvements made in response to the crash, which had occurred after an earlier incident involving a speeding SUV that struck another family.

In the wake of these events, Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, Joaquín Ramos Pinto de Oliveira, Matilde Moncada Ramos Pinto, and Kahue Ramos Pinto de Oliveira lost their lives when Lau’s car collided with the bus stop at 110 mph. Judge Bruce Chan remarked that he had to consider Lau’s age, her lack of prior offenses, and her expressed remorse during sentencing.

Moreover, the parents of Diego and Matilde filed a wrongful death lawsuit in July 2024, seeking compensation for their loss. They’ve also requested that the judge consider revoking Lau’s driver’s license and imposing house arrest.

Denise Oliviera, Diego’s sister, expressed her frustration: “We feel like we don’t have rights. We feel very disrespected in this process. I don’t think this is justice.”