Editor’s Note: As Streetsblog readers are no doubt aware, word came down last month that the speeding driver who killed the Pinto de Oliveira family in West Portal in 2024 is unlikely to see any time behind bars. The relatives of the slain family are asking people to sign a petition and letter demanding something resembling justice. The full text of the petition letter appears below:
Request for Community Support from the Families of Diego, Matilde, Joaquim, and Cauê/ Apelo de Apoio à Comunidade por parte das FamÃlias de Diego, Matilde, Joaquim e Cauê
We are the surviving family members of Diego Cardoso de Oliveira (40), Matilde Moncada Ramos Pinto (38), and their sons Joaquim (1) and Cauê (3 months), who were killed on March 16, 2024, while sitting at a bus shelter in the West Portal neighborhood of San Francisco. A vehicle driven by Mary Fong Lau traveling in excess of 70 miles per hour in a residential area struck and killed all four members of our family.
In the criminal action People of the State of California v. Mary Fong Lau, Judge Bruce Chan, who is handling the case, accepted no contest pleas to four felony counts of vehicular manslaughter and has indicated that he is not inclined to impose any jail time and, instead, is likely to impose a sentence of only two years of probation, without home detention and without meaningful community service.
We are heartbroken and deeply troubled by Judge Chan’s decision to accept Mrs. Lau’s no contest felony pleas over the objection of the San Francisco District Attorney and to then indicate that his likely sentence will be only two years of probation. We believe the Court should not have accepted a no contest plea in a case involving the loss of four lives — including two babies. A no contest plea avoids a direct admission of guilt and allows the defendant to resolve the case without personally acknowledging responsibility in open court. In a case of this magnitude, justice requires a clear and unequivocal guilty plea to the four felonies. Adding insult to injury, we are appalled that Judge Chan is considering two years of probation as the only consequence for Mrs. Lau’s taking four lives.
After Judge Chan announced his position on February 13, 2026, thousands of people took to social media to express their outrage and express their support for our family. We are extremely grateful for their support. It means more than anybody can imagine. We have also been contacted directly by friends and supporters asking if anything can be done to help. We believe there is.
We are asking members of the public who believe in accountability, equal justice, and public safety to join us by signing a petition addressed to Judge Chan requesting that he reject the no contest plea, require a felony guilty plea that reflects full responsibility, and impose meaningful consequences proportionate to the gravity of this crime — including custodial measures, structured community service tied to public safety, and appropriate restrictions to protect the community.
Photo from 2022: Walk San Francisco
The record shows no evidence of impairment, no medical emergency, and no mechanical defect. Our loved ones were killed by Mrs. Lau in broad daylight, in a residential neighborhood while she was driving at an extreme speed. Since the crash, there has been no personal expression of remorse in open court and no direct acknowledgment of responsibility. The Judge’s indicated sentence of probation alone risks sending a message that four lives can be taken without consequence.
This case is not only about our family. It is about whether the justice system treats the loss of four innocent lives with the seriousness it demands. It is about whether age or background can effectively diminish accountability in cases of catastrophic harm.
We invite those who share these concerns to add their names to the petition below addressed to Judge Chan urging reconsideration before final sentencing and asking that the no contest plea be rejected, that a guilty plea to four felonies be required, and that the sentence imposed reflect the magnitude of Mrs. Lau’s criminal acts.
March 20, 2026, the sentencing date, marks the second anniversary of our beautiful baby Cauê’s death after four days in intensive care battling for life. We hope the Court will honor his memory — and the memory of his family — by ensuring real accountability.
Respectfully,
Maria Ana de Mesquita Cabral de Moncada (Mother & Grandmother)
Fatima Cardoso (Mother & Grandmother)
Plinio de Oliveira Filho (Father & Grandfather)
Luis Ramos Pinto (Brother & Uncle)
Denise Cardoso de Oliveira (Sister & Aunt)
Dennis Cardoso de Oliveira (Brother & Uncle)
Link to petition.