Elderly Driver's Plea in Family's Death: No Prison?

An 80-year-old San Francisco resident, Mary Fong Lau, has pleaded no contest to four counts of vehicular manslaughter in connection with a March 2024 tragedy. Lau's vehicle, a Mercedes, struck and killed a family of four—Apple executive Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, his wife Matilde Ramos Pinto, and their children Joaquim and Cauê—while they were waiting at a bus stop. The family had been on their way to the San Francisco Zoo to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

Despite the severity of the incident, Lau is unlikely to serve prison time. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Bruce Chan indicated that sentencing Lau to prison would effectively be a death sentence due to her age. He also considered her remorse and the fact that she has no prior criminal record. Lau is expected to lose her driving privileges and may receive probation for two to three years.

Relatives of the victims voiced strong objections to the potential leniency, with one sister stating they felt disrespected and lacked rights. They requested home detention and community service. The victims' attorney criticized the no-contest plea for avoiding moral accountability. Meanwhile, the victim's parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit and are seeking to void alleged financial transfers made by Lau.