SF West Portal crash: 80-year-old driver who killed family of 4 unlikely to face prison time, victims' family 'devastated'

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Justice is what’s kept Luis Ramos Pinto and his family going after his sister Matilde, her husband Diego and their two young children were killed on the street’s of San Francisco’s West Portal neighborhood.

“My family is devastated, completely devastated,” said Luis Ramos Pinto.

A San Francisco Superior Court judge recently indicated he was unlikely to impose prison time for the 80-year-old driver, Mary Fong Lau, after she crashed and killed the family waiting at a bus stop in West Portal on their way to the zoo on their wedding anniversary.

“The evidence in this case showed gross negligence. No defense was presented in court. And you expect a sentence to be proportional to the gravity of the consequences of the crime. Regardless of the person’s age. And you always hope that everyone is held equally accountable under the law,” said Luis Ramos Pinto.

The judge said he is taking into account the driver’s age, lack of criminal history, remorse, and the fact that she lost her own husband in a car crash when she was 25 years old.

Lau has changed her plea from not guilty to “no contest,” which means she is not formally admitting guilt, and automatically waives her right to a trial, leaving it up to the judge to decide her sentence.

In a statement, the driver’s attorney said in part: “… it reflects a measured and humane application of justice-one that holds a person accountable while recognizing remorse, responsibility, and a lifetime otherwise defined by law-abiding conduct.”

Attorney James Quadra, who represents the victim’s family in a civil lawsuit, has accused Lau of secretly transferring assets after the crash. Quadra called the judges latest decision outrageous.

“I think home detention, given the lives she took, if he doesn’t want to send her to prison then why not home detention when it’s felonies? She’s pleading no contest to felonies. Again, the judge agreed that this was not a circumstance in which misdemeanors made sense, yet is giving her, basically, a slap on the wrist for killing four people,” said Quadra.

The San Francisco District Attorney’s office confirmed they objected to and opposed the change of plea.

“You don’t ever get that out of your head,” said Maureen Stoss, owner of Eezy Freezy market.

West Portal residents said their community will never be the same and were hoping for a different outcome.

“Because she is 80, she can’t go to jail? Does that mean any 80-year-old can kill somebody and that is okay?” said Stoss.

“I think it’s an absolute travesty what happened. I think the judge should face some type of backlash,” said Nicholas Waller, who works in the neighborhood.

The victims’ family is hoping the judge changes his mind.

“To feel like a crime like this can just, you know, be simply swept aside. It hurts,” said Luis Ramos Pinto.

Mary Fong Lau’s driver’s license is currently suspended and is set to be suspended for the two-year probation. The victims’ family said they are preparing to fight for her license to be revoked for life. The next court hearing where the judge will make his final decision is scheduled for March 20.

Full statement from Mary Fong Lau’s attorney:

“Today, the court accepted felony pleas from 80-year-old San Franciscan Mary Lau in connection with a tragic automobile collision that resulted in the loss of four lives on March 16, 2024. Ms. Lau acknowledges that no words can adequately capture the magnitude of this loss or the devastation suffered by the victims’ family, friends, and community.

From the outset, this case has been defined by profound tragedy. Ms. Lau, the defendant, is a woman who has never been convicted of a crime in her life. She is a woman who herself has lived with lifelong grief. At the age of 25, she was widowed when her husband was killed in a car crash-an experience that permanently shaped her life. She spent her life working hard as a single mother raising three children in San Francisco. She has lived a law-abiding life shaped by the values of service to others, her Christian faith, hard work, and compassion. She now carries the unbearable weight of knowing that a tragic accident involving her vehicle claimed the lives of an entire family. As a devout Christian, Ms. Lau hopes that in entering pleas, all those impacted can begin to heal and attempt to move beyond this senseless tragedy.

By entering felony pleas to all four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, she accepted full responsibility for the outcome of this devastating incident. These pleas were not the product of avoidance or denial, but rather a conscious decision to acknowledge the harm caused and to face the consequences under the law. The court has indicated that it will impose no jail time in exchange for these pleas, recognizing the unique and extraordinary circumstances of the case.

The defendant is deeply remorseful. She is heartbroken over the loss of life and has expressed sincere sorrow for the pain endured by the victims’ loved ones. Ms. Lau has repeatedly stated that she wishes she could change places with those who lost their lives. This tragedy has irrevocably altered her life, and she will carry the weight of this loss for the rest of her days.

Nothing about today’s resolution diminishes the value of the lives lost or the grief of those left behind. Rather, it reflects a measured and humane application of justice-one that holds a person accountable while recognizing remorse, responsibility, and a lifetime otherwise defined by law-abiding conduct.

Ms. Lau and her family’s thoughts remain with the victims’ family and all those affected by this unimaginable loss.

– Seth Morris / MORRIS LAW, PC”

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SF West Portal crash: 80-year-old driver who killed family of 4 unlikely to face prison time, victims’ family ‘devastated’

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