A woman accused of killing a family of four in a March crash at a West Portal Muni stop made conflicting statements to police and an eyewitness, court records show.
Mary Fong Lau, 79, told a witness at the scene of the crash that she was trying to park her SUV when she accidentally moved her foot to the gas pedal, according to a police affidavit. “When that happened, she didn’t know what to do and couldn’t stop,” the documents state.
While receiving treatment at San Francisco General Hospital, Lau told police that her 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 had malfunctioned, causing it “to suddenly accelerate” before crashing into a bus shelter and library.
Investigators did not find issues with Lau’s car, and tests taken at the hospital found no drugs or alcohol in her blood, records show. The investigation estimates that Lau’s SUV was traveling between 66 and 75 mph.
The March 16 crash at Ulloa Street and Lenox Way killed Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, Matilde Moncada Ramos Pinto, and their sons: 1-year-old Joaquin Ramos Pinto de Oliveira and 3-months-old Cauê Ramos Pinto de Oliveira. The family was waiting for a bus to go to the San Francisco Zoo.
When asked about the conflicting statements in the court record, Lau’s attorney Samuel Geller said there is “a level of hearsay” in the witness statement provided to police. He pointed out that it was a witness paraphrasing what Lau allegedly said after a traumatic incident. He said the statement is just one part of the evidence in the case, and its accuracy has yet to be verified.
“I would ask the public to reserve judgment until the court process has taken its course,” Geller told The Standard.
The crash prompted citywide outrage and demands to improve safety at the intersection. More than 150 people attended a vigil for the victims. This month, the city implemented traffic-calming changes at the intersection.
Lau in July pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular manslaughter and was ordered not to drive and to turn over her driver’s license to the court. She is due back in court Jan. 22.
“This is a horrific tragedy, and Ms. Lau continues to mourn this incident to this day,” Geller said.