Current:Home > FinanceAngela Chao Case: Untangling the Mystery Surrounding the Billionaire's Death -MarketLink
Angela Chao Case: Untangling the Mystery Surrounding the Billionaire's Death
View
Date:2025-04-17 07:38:58
More details surrounding Angela Chao's untimely death have emerged.
The billionaire shipping tycoon—whose sister is married to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell—died in February at the age of 50. At the time, information surrounding Chao's passing was sparse, with her family only confirming that she had died in a car accident.
Now, more than a month later, officials released their findings into the incident that took Chao's life, revealing her harrowing last moments. In a Blanco County Sheriff's Office report obtained by Associated News, authorities determined that Chao was intoxicated with a blood alcohol level of nearly three times the state's legal limit when she drove her Tesla into a pond located on her and husband Jim Breyer's Johnson City, Texas ranch.
Calling her death an "unfortunate accident," officials said Chao exchanged words with her friend Amber Keinan on the phone as her car filled with water.
"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 good byes to Keinan."
Here is everything that's known about Chao's death:
Who is Angela Chao?
Chao was chairwoman and CEO of the Foremost Group, a shipping business founded by her father James Chao during the 1960s. Her family—which includes older sister Elaine Chao, the wife of Mitch McConnell who served as the Secretary of Labor in George W. Bush's administration and as the Secretary of Transportation during Donald Trump's presidency—is estimated to have a net worth of $14.2 billion, according to Forbes.
Chao was married to Jim Breyer, a billionaire venture capitalist, at the time of her death.
How did Angela Chao die?
According to the Blanco County Sheriff's Office report, Chao died after accidentally reversing her Tesla into a pond near the guest lodge of her Texas ranch on Feb. 10. She hosted a dinner with friends earlier in the night, authorities said in the document, and got into her car around 11:30 p.m. when guests were leaving.
Her friend Amber Keinan told investigators that Chao called her at 11:42 p.m. and said she was trapped inside the car as it filled with water. The conversation lasted 8 minutes, with Chao saying that she was going to die and telling Keinan "I love you," according to the police report.
What happened to Angela Chao after her car went into the water?
The police report about Chao's case said her friends attempted to reach her while she was in the water, including by swimming and kayaking to her submerged vehicle. Chao was freed after first responders—who were called in around 11:55 p.m.—went into the pond and broke the driver's side window, per the report.
When did Angela Chao die?
Chao was pronounced dead at 1:40 a.m. Feb. 11 after rescuers pulled her and her car to shore.
What was Angela Chao's blood alcohol level?
A toxicology test showed that the shipping magnate had a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.233 grams per 100 milliliters, according to the report. The reading was above the .08 legal limit in Texas.
E! News has reached out to the Blanco County Sheriff's Office for additional comment but hasn't heard back.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (98)
Related
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Not Gonna Miss My … Shot. Samsung's new Galaxy phones make a good picture more of a sure thing
- Costco is selling dupe of luxury Anthropologie mirror, shoppers weigh in on social media
- Marlena Shaw, ‘California Soul’ singer, dead at 81
- What were Tom Selleck's juicy final 'Blue Bloods' words in Reagan family
- Marlena Shaw, 'California Soul' singer, dead at 81: 'Beloved icon and artist'
- Iranian soldier kills 5 comrades in southeastern city where IS attack killed dozens, state TV says
- Military ends rescue search for Navy SEALs lost in maritime raid on ship with Iranian weapons
- Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
- Euphoria’s Dominic Fike Addresses His Future on Season 3
Ranking
- Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
- Convicted killer attacked by victim's stepdad during sentencing in California courtroom
- Schiaparelli’s surreal fusion of kink and history kicks off Paris Couture Week
- That 'True Detective: Night Country' frozen 'corpsicle' is unforgettable, horrifying art
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Republican Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley Says Climate Change is Real. Is She Proposing Anything to Stop It?
- Military ends rescue search for Navy SEALs lost in maritime raid on ship with Iranian weapons
- Taylor Swift simply being at NFL playoff games has made the sport better. Deal with it.
Recommendation
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, Diagnosed With Skin Cancer After Breast Cancer Battle
Oscar nomination predictions: Who's in for sure (what's up, RDJ!) and who may get snubbed
Not Gonna Miss My … Shot. Samsung's new Galaxy phones make a good picture more of a sure thing
Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
Alleged leader of the Gulf drug cartel, the gang that kidnapped and killed Americans, is captured in Mexico
Nick Dunlap becomes first amateur to win a PGA Tour event in 33 years at American Express
The Doobie Brothers promise 'a show to remember' for 2024 tour: How to get tickets