Stunning New Details Released Involving Death of Mitch McConnell's Sister-in-Law
Angela Chao, who was related to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell through marriage, tragically passed away after her car ended up in a pond while she was under the influence of alcohol, according to a report from the sheriff's office in Texas.
The incident involving Chao, who is the sister of Elaine Chao, Mitch McConnell's wife and former Transportation Secretary under President Trump, occurred last month. However, specific details about the fatal event were initially sparse.
The Blanco County Sheriff’s Office in Texas provided a report that came to light on Wednesday, as noted by the New York Post among other media outlets. This document elaborated on the circumstances leading to Angela Chao's demise on February 10, while she was visiting a ranch in central Texas with a group of seven friends.
Chao, 50, had been dining at a guest house on the ranch before deciding to return to her own accommodations on the property around 11:37 p.m. Surveillance footage depicted her moving towards her car with difficulty in maintaining balance.
Her vehicle, a Tesla, inadvertently backed over a drop and landed in a nearby pond, just a short distance from the guest house. Following the accident, at 11:42 p.m., Chao reached out to a friend, Amber Keinan, informing her calmly over the phone that she believed she was going to perish.
In the eight minutes following, her friends made valiant efforts to rescue her. Some swam towards the submerged car, and Keinan attempted a rescue by kayak. Emergency services were alerted at 11:55 p.m.
Despite these efforts, Chao’s vehicle was fully submerged around 25 yards from the shore by the time rescue teams arrived. They managed to extract her by breaking through the driver's side window, but it was tragically too late.
Chief Deputy Robert Woodring stated, “EMS attempted emergency measures on Ms. Chao but she succumbed from being under the water.” Chao was declared deceased at the scene at 1:40 a.m., her last moments spent on the phone expressing her love to Keinan.
An autopsy wasn't conducted; however, it was reported that Chao's blood alcohol level was 0.233, significantly over the legal limit for driving in Texas.
The incident has been classified as a tragic accident by authorities.
Angela Chao held the position of CEO at Foremost Group, a dry bulk shipping company established by her father, James Chao. She was married to Jim Breyer, a businessman.
Her father, in a statement, mourned her loss, highlighting her exceptional intellect, leadership qualities, and the deep affection she received from her family and friends. He reminisced about her name in Chinese, which symbolizes peace and prosperity, virtues he believes she abundantly shared with the world.