'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In a distressing incident on a Central Texas ranch, Angela Chao, the CEO of the shipping company Foremost Group and sister of former U.S. cabinet secretary Elaine Chao, died after her vehicle got submerged in a pond.
The accident occurred late on February 10 when Chao’s Tesla Model X, during an attempted three-point turn, went over an embankment and into the water as she mistakenly reversed instead of driving forward, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Angela Chao Dies in Texas Pond Accident
Emergency responders arrived at the scene approximately 24 minutes after receiving a 911 call, but faced challenges due to difficult terrain and limited access to the pond. According to a report from a Blanco County first responder, efforts to rescue Chao were hampered by the need to walk to the pond's location.
Trending
Despite these obstacles, first responders attempted to break the vehicle's window to rescue Chao, using several tools, including a Hallagan tool, with one EMS crew member and a firefighter entering the water equipped with appropriate water rescue personal protective equipment.
A dive team was requested due to the vehicle being "completely submerged," but none was available. Initial efforts to pull the car from the pond using a tow truck were unsuccessful due to the tow chains being unable to reach the vehicle. A longer cable was eventually procured, allowing for the car's extraction from the water, as detailed in the incident report.
Concerns regarding the potential electrocution hazard posed by the submerged electric vehicle were raised by at least one tow truck driver, despite electric cars being designed to mitigate such risks, the Wall Street Journal noted. Chao was retrieved from the vehicle and resuscitation efforts were initiated but ultimately proved unsuccessful.
The Blanco County Emergency Services, Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office have yet to respond to requests for comment and additional information. The ongoing nature of the investigation into the accident has been cited as a reason for the limited information released to the media.
A letter to Paxton's office from the Blanco County Public Information Office mentioned that the accident is being investigated as a criminal matter "until they have sufficient evidence to rule out criminal activity," despite preliminary findings suggesting it was an accident.
Angela Chao was one of five sisters of Elaine Chao, who served as both U.S. labor secretary under President George W. Bush and transportation secretary under President Donald Trump.
Elaine Chao is also married to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. McConnell publicly acknowledged the loss of his sister-in-law in a statement on February 28, highlighting the profound impact of Chao's untimely death on his family and the broader Asian-American community.
James S.C. Chao, Angela Chao's father, expressed the profound loss felt by the family and community in a statement at the time of her death.
The tragedy has not only left a void in the hearts of those who knew her but has also resonated within the Asian-American community, underscoring the significant contributions and leadership of Angela Chao in both her professional and philanthropic endeavors.
