Judge Sentences Driver in Deadly West Portal Crash to 2 Years Probation, No Prison Time

A San Francisco woman who prosecutors said drove into a bus stop at high speed, killing a family of four, has been sentenced to two years of probation.

Along with the two years of probation, Superior Court Judge Bruce Chan revoked Mary Fong Lau’s drivers license for at least three years and she’ll have to complete 200 hours of community service.

The ruling comes almost exactly two years after the crash in San Francisco’s West Portal neighborhood which took the lives of Matilde Ramos Pinto, 38, Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, 40, and their young sons, both under 2 years old. Lau, 80, was believed to have been driving approximately 70 mph at the time of the crash.

During Friday’s sentencing hearing, Chan said the sentence was influenced by Lau’s remorse, her lack of a criminal record and her age.

Family and friends of both Lau and the victims filled the courtroom to hear Chan pass the sentence.

A final restitution payment will be decided at a later date and will fall somewhere between $67,000 and nearly $300,000.

Supporters of the victims expressed their frustration with the judge’s ruling, and said Lau should face more punishment for the lives she took.

Family members addressed the court, describing the days after the accident as the youngest, 3-month-old Cauê, lay in the hospital in an induced coma. With both parents dead, their extended family were left with the painful decision to take him off of life support so that his organs could go to other babies.

Lau, who sat listening through an interpreter for most of the hearing, stood to face the family of the victims.

“I want to say sorry for your family. Sorry. Sorry,” Lau said, bowing with each apology.