The driver who crashed her SUV into a San Francisco bus stop and killed a couple and their toddler on their way to the zoo has been arrested.
Mary Fong Lau, 78, was arrested Sunday on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, wrong-way driving, driving at an unsafe speed and reckless driving.
On Saturday, three family members, Diego, 40, Matilde, 38, and their one-year-old child, died after Lau rammed her Mercedes SUV into the West Portal Muni bus stop. Friends identified the victims but declined to reveal their last names.
The couple’s other child, an infant, was with them at the time of the fatal crash as the four of them waited to board the bus and go to the zoo. The baby’s condition is critical after the horror crash.
‘I learned many things I know about love from them. They were a wonderful couple. They had no problems with anything. It was love, love, love. They took care of the kids and went to the zoo for a fun day in the park,” said Rogerio Falerio, a close family friend.
Some witnesses said Lau had suffered a medical incident before the crash. Others said she got out of the car and shouted, “What have I done?” Police have not released any details about what led to the horror crash.
Mary Fong Lau, 78, was arrested Sunday after she crashed her SUV into San Francisco’s West Portal Muni bus stop, killing three family members. (photo: a vigil held at the scene of the horrific incident on Sunday)
Lau was initially taken to hospital for injuries and it remains unclear what caused her car to jump the curb and crash into a fire hydrant, pole and side of the local library.
Lau was initially taken to hospital for injuries and it remains unclear what caused her car to jump the curb and crash into a fire hydrant, pole and side of the local library.
Matilde was taken to hospital after the crash, while her husband and child died at the scene. She died in hospital on Sunday.
Other people waiting for the bus were also injured in the crash and received medical attention.
Family friends told me CBS News the surviving child is approximately two months old and has suffered life-threatening injuries.
They lived in the Bay Area’s Mission District and planned to spend a day at the zoo together for Diego and Matilde’s wedding anniversary, friends said.
Falerio said Diego was from Brazil and his wife from Portugal.
The crash site has since been covered with stuffed animals, flowers, candles and a stroller with a heart-shaped cutout that reads: “Remembering the precious lives lost on March 16, 2024.”
Attorneys from Walk San Francisco added three pairs of shoes in honor of the mother, father and child who were tragically lost.
Witnesses said the impact of the crash sent the toddler flying through the air.
Another witness, Nikki Mashburn, told The San Francisco Chronicle that she heard the crash and that it sounded like “an explosion.” She said the victims suffered head injuries.
“When the paramedics arrived, you could tell they didn’t know what to do first,” Mashburn said.
‘The stroller was clearly destroyed. Yeah, so he was still tied up there,” Johanna Dimayuga, a resident of the area, told CBS News.
Witnesses said the impact of the crash sent the toddler flying through the air. Another witness, Nikki Mashburn, told The San Francisco Chronicle that she heard the crash and that it sounded like “an explosion.”
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said Saturday it is investigating the cause of the crash in conjunction with the San Francisco Police Department
Gabriel Cinquepalm, another witness, said he saw Lau after the crash as she got out of her car with a look as if to say, “What have I done?” and that she screamed at the sky.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said Saturday it is investigating the cause of the crash in conjunction with the San Francisco Police Department.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed said on X, formerly Twitter, that she had visited the scene of the collision on Saturday. She called it “heartbreaking.”
Walk San Francisco has planned a memorial service for the family at the crash site on Monday at 5 p.m.
“We are heartbroken, heartbroken and shocked,” said Jodie Medeiros, executive director of the advocacy group.
“This is one of the worst pedestrian tragedies ever to occur on the streets of San Francisco. It’s almost beyond comprehension.’
Following the tragedy, the group and locals raised concerns about the intersection of Ulloa Street and West Portal Avenue, where the bus stop is located.
The group noted that there are several places around the intersection that families and children frequent, such as a library, schools and train stations.
“It’s time to fundamentally rethink areas like where this crash occurred, where thousands of people walk, cross and wait every day,” Medeiros said.
This was the second child to die in the city in less than a year, as fatalities like this have increased and residents are feeling uneasy.