Current:Home > ScamsBenjamin Ashford|Angela Chao, Mitch McConnell’s sister-in-law, was drunk when she drove into pond, police say -CapitalCourse
Benjamin Ashford|Angela Chao, Mitch McConnell’s sister-in-law, was drunk when she drove into pond, police say
Robert Brown View
Date:2025-04-10 09:28:26
Angela Chao,Benjamin Ashford a shipping industry CEO and sister-in-law to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, was intoxicated when she drove into a pond and died last month in Texas, according to a law enforcement report released Wednesday.
The investigation by the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office concluded that Chao’s death was an “unfortunate accident” and her blood alcohol level was nearly three times the state’s legal limit.
Chao, 50, died the night of Feb. 10 after having dinner with a large group at a ranch in Johnson City, west of Austin. The report describes a frantic scene as friends and deputies tried to pull Chao from her Tesla after she backed it into the water.
A friend, Amber Keinan, told detectives that Chao called her at 11:42 p.m. and said the car was in the pond and she was trapped inside. The conversation lasted 8 minutes as the car slowly sank.
“Chao described to Keinan the water coming into the vehicle,” the report says. “Chao then said her good byes to Keinan.”
Friends swam to the car while another paddled out with a kayak, according to the report. Someone else called 911 at 11:55 p.m. and remained on the phone for 11 minutes.
When law enforcement officials and firefighters arrived, they went into the water and attempted to enter the Tesla, the report says. They broke the window on the driver’s side, and a deputy felt around until he located Chao.
Emergency crews pulled her out of the car and brought her to shore, where she was pronounced dead at 1:40 a.m. Feb. 11.
A toxicology test determined that Chao had a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.233 grams per 100 milliliters, above the legal limit in Texas of .08, the report says.
Chao was the chair and CEO of her family’s shipping business, the Foremost Group, and the president of her father’s philanthropic organization, the Foremost Foundation. She lived in Austin, which is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Blanco County.
Chao was the youngest of six sisters to immigrant parents who moved to the U.S. from China in the late 1950s. Her eldest sibling, Elaine Chao, is married to McConnell and served as transportation secretary under President Donald Trump and labor secretary under President George W. Bush.
“Angela’s name in Chinese sounds like the characters for peace and prosperity,” her father, James S.C. Chao, said in a family statement shortly after her death. “Her absence leaves a void not only in our hearts, but in the Asian-American community.”
Her father was named chairman of Foremost Group following her death. Michael Lee, a former president, became president.
Chao is survived by her husband, father and four sisters.
veryGood! (62)
Related
- Tom Holland's New Venture Revealed
- Democrats believe abortion will motivate voters in 2024. Will it be enough?
- I Look Like I Got Much More Sleep Than I Actually Did Thanks to This Under Eye Balm
- Taylor Swift cheers on Travis Kelce as the Kansas City Chiefs again take on Buffalo Bills
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Danish royals attend church service to mark King Frederik’s first visit outside the capital
- US government rejects complaint that woman was improperly denied an emergency abortion in Oklahoma
- Stanford's Tara VanDerveer: Timeline of success for all-time winningest college basketball coach
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- Not Gonna Miss My … Shot. Samsung's new Galaxy phones make a good picture more of a sure thing
Ranking
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Party at a short-term rental near Houston turns deadly overnight
- NFL divisional playoff winners, losers from Sunday: Young Lions, resilient Chiefs triumph
- Pro-Putin campaign amasses 95 cardboard boxes filled with petitions backing his presidential run
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- Mega Millions winning numbers for January 19 drawing; jackpot reaches $236 million
- Pakistani security forces kill 7 militants during a raid near the border with Afghanistan
- Taylor Swift cheers on Travis Kelce as the Kansas City Chiefs again take on Buffalo Bills
Recommendation
What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
Taiwan says 6 Chinese balloons flew through its airspace, and warplanes and ships also detected
As Israel-Hamas war tension spreads, CBS News meets troops on a U.S. warship bracing for any escalation
Packers vs. 49ers highlights: Brock Purdy comes through with late rally
Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
Gaza doctor describes conditions inside his overwhelmed hospital as Israeli forces advance
Packers vs. 49ers highlights: Brock Purdy comes through with late rally
Sofia Vergara, Netflix sued: Griselda Blanco's family seeks to stop release of ‘Griselda’