Current:Home > NewsAngela Chao Case: Untangling the Mystery Surrounding the Billionaire's Death -Excel Wealth Summit
Angela Chao Case: Untangling the Mystery Surrounding the Billionaire's Death
Benjamin Ashford View
Date:2025-04-10 08:01:19
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! (21)
Related
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Bodies of two adults and two children found in Seattle house after fire and reported shooting
- Jimmy Buffett died after a four-year fight with a rare form of skin cancer, his website says
- 5 people shot, including 2 children, during domestic dispute at Atlanta home
- The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
- Smash Mouth Singer Steve Harwell Dead at 56
- UAW’s clash with Big 3 automakers shows off a more confrontational union as strike deadline looms
- Aerosmith singer and Maui homeowner Steven Tyler urges tourists to return to the island
- Sam Taylor
- Racism in online gaming is rampant. The toll on youth mental health is adding up
Ranking
- Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
- MLB power rankings: Rangers, Astros set to clash as 3-team race with Mariners heats up
- Southeast Asian leaders are besieged by thorny issues as they hold an ASEAN summit without Biden
- Metallica postpones Arizona concert after James Hetfield tests positive for COVID-19
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Breastfeeding With Implants? Here's What to Know After Pregnant Jessie James Decker Shared Her Concerns
- Jimmy Buffett, Margaritaville singer, dies at 76
- Peacock, Big Ten accidentally debut 'big turd' sign on Michigan-East Carolina broadcast
Recommendation
Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
Every Real Housewife Who Has Weighed in on the Ozempic Weight Loss Trend
Las Vegas drying out after 2 days of heavy rainfall that prompted water rescues, possible drowning
No. 8 Florida State dominant in second half, routs No. 5 LSU
Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
Sweet emotion in Philadelphia as Aerosmith starts its farewell tour, and fans dream on
Lionel Messi’s L.A. Game Scores Star-Studded Attendees: See Selena Gomez, Prince Harry and More
Rutgers rolls Northwestern 24-7, as Wildcats play 1st game since hazing scandal shook the program