Angela Chao, the billionaire shipping magnate and sister-in-law of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, had a blood alcohol concentration nearly three times the legal limit when she inadvertently reversed her Tesla SUV into a stock pond at her private Central Texas ranch last month, according to an incident report obtained by the Austin American-Statesman. The report, released by the Blanco County Sheriff's Office, sheds new light on the tragic events leading to Chao's death on February 11.
The toxicology screening, ordered as part of the month-long investigation, revealed that Chao, 50, had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.233, well above the legal driving limit of 0.08 in Texas. The report details the frantic rescue attempts by Chao's friends and first responders as she remained trapped in her slowly sinking vehicle.
According to the report, Chao had invited seven close friends to the 900-acre ranch for a weekend getaway to celebrate the Chinese New Year. On the night of February 10, at around 11:37 p.m., security footage captured Chao walking unsteadily to her vehicle, wrapped in a blanket and holding a phone in her right hand. As she attempted a three-point turn, the electric vehicle suddenly shot backwards down an embankment and into the pond.
Realizing she was trapped, Chao called one of her friends, Amber Keinan, at 11:42 p.m. During the eight-minute phone call, Chao told Keinan that the water was rising, and she was going to die. "Chao told Keinan the water was rising and she was going to die and said 'I love you'," the police report stated. "Chao then said her goodbyes to Keinan."
As the rescue effort unfolded, Chao's friends frantically screamed at the deputies from the pond's bank. One friend entered the water with a kayak, while another swam to the vehicle and climbed on top in an attempt to rescue her. Despite the efforts of deputies, who jumped into the pond after stripping off some of their gear, they were unable to locate Chao inside the submerged vehicle.
Additional emergency responders arrived on the scene and managed to break a side window, extracting Chao from the vehicle at approximately 12:56 a.m. EMS responders performed "advanced life support" for 43 minutes in an attempt to resuscitate her, but she was ultimately pronounced dead at 1:40 a.m.
Investigators from the FBI and the Texas Rangers reviewed the evidence collected by sheriff's deputies and concluded that the incident was "nothing more than an unfortunate accident." However, the slow release of information in the weeks following Chao's death, coupled with her high-profile status and connections, fueled conspiracy theories online.
Chao's father, Dr. James S.C. Chao, addressed the incident in a statement, expressing the family's profound grief and gratitude for the friends and first responders who tried to save her life. Her husband, billionaire venture capitalist Jim Breyer, also shared his heartbreak and appreciation for the efforts of the first responders in Blanco County.
The tragic death of Angela Chao had a ripple effect on the political landscape, with McConnell referencing her loss as a factor in his decision to step down as the Republican leader in the Senate later this year. "When you lose a loved one, particularly at a young age, there's a certain introspection that accompanies the grieving process," McConnell said during his announcement speech.
While Blanco Chief Deputy Robert Woodring stated that Chao had committed no offense because she was driving on private property at the time of her death, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of driving under the influence, regardless of the setting.
