CEO Angela Chao's Fatal Tesla Accident: New Details Emerge After Weeks of Speculation

The tragic passing of Angela Chao, a well-known CEO based in Texas and the sister-in-law of Senator Mitch McConnell, made headlines last month.

Findings of further investigations into the incident, initially reported as a "car accident," conducted by journalists from the Austin American-Statesman unveiled distressing details of Angela Chao's Tesla tragedy, as reported by USA Today.

Rescue Efforts Failed

Angela Chao is believed to have drowned after her Tesla veered into a pond on a private ranch in Texas. Despite speculation, local officials have refrained from disclosing details, refuting claims of a criminal inquiry. Chief Deputy Robert Woodring of the Blanco County sheriff's office asserted, "It's always been an unfortunate accident. We have not seen a single thing that would make us believe otherwise."

Jim Breyer and Angela Chao attends the AFI Awards Luncheon at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 12, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo : Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

On the night of Feb. 11, deputies responded to a private address outside Austin, Texas, for a potential water rescue. Over the following 30 minutes, EMS responders, deputies, and firefighters mobilized at the scene. According to reports, Chao's Tesla was submerged, prompting desperate rescue efforts.

Fire Lt. Royce Penshorn's report outlined attempts to access the vehicle. Despite efforts, a tow truck's chains could not reach the submerged electric vehicle.

Rescuers managed to retrieve Angela Chao from the Tesla vehicle around 12:56 a.m. EMS responders administered "advanced life support" for 43 minutes, but tragically, the CEO was pronounced dead at the scene. Notably, no dive team was available at the time. Benjamin Oakley, EMS chief, explained Blanco County's reliance on neighboring counties for such operations.

Tesla Faulty Reverse Function Under Scrutiny

According to Business Insider, the US Department of Transportation database contains 12 complaints related to Tesla's reverse function. These complaints highlighted confusion with Tesla's gearshift design and instances where cars shifted between drive and reverse unexpectedly.

Despite reverse-shifting concerns, they pale in comparison to other Tesla issues. The database containing 12 reverse-shifting complaints contained a total of 4,228 Tesla-related complaints. The US Department of Transportation received over 700 complaints concerning "phantom braking" when Teslas under Autopilot braked for imaginary risks. Phantom braking killed one person in 2022, triggering a regulator probe.

In a separate development, the 2018 Model X collision lawsuit against Tesla's Autopilot system is back with fresh evidence. Next week, plaintiffs will submit new evidence challenging Tesla's position in California. An insider from Tesla said that the firm knew of Autopilot's distracting effects, citing a 2016 email, as previously reported by TechTimes.

The legal proceedings against Tesla regarding its Autopilot technology will recommence in California next week, starting Monday, Mar. 18. The plaintiffs plan to introduce fresh evidence contradicting Tesla's stance.

Lawyers representing Huang's interests obtained a crucial statement from a Tesla insider regarding the company's knowledge of Autopilot usage. This statement referenced a 2016 email from former Tesla President Jon McNeill to Autopilot head Sterling Anderson, who confessed that using Autopilot diverted his attention from driving as he attended to emails or phone calls.