Mitch McConnell’s sister-in-law Angela Chao drowned in her Tesla after the vehicle’s strengthened glass was unable to be broken after she reversed into a pond.
Chao, who was the CEO of shipping company Foremost Group, died last month after her car entered a body of water on a private ranch in Texas.
Disturbing details have since emerged detailing the frenzied rescue mission to save the 50-year-old.
In a report by the Wall Street Journal, the outlet detail how Chao had drove her Tesla home from an evening with friends when she accidentally put the car in reverse.
Due to the type of strengthened glass used in the Model X’s windows and sunroof, attempts to smash into the vehicle proved redundant.
According to testing done by the American Automobile Association, the type of glass used on the vehicle is nearly impossible to break underwater.
Chao had been spending the weekend with her closest girlfriends celebrating the Chinese New Year while her husband, venture capitalist Jim Breyer, was away at a conference
Chao, who was the CEO of shipping company Foremost Group, died last month after her car entered a body of water on a private ranch in Texas, an aerial shot of the property is seen here
Chao had been making a three-point turn before the deadly accident and put the car in reverse instead of drive, sending it down an embankment and into a pond.
As the car dipped below the water line, Chao called a friend in a panic to explain her situation and over the next several hours rescuers tried in vain to rescue her.
Shortly after making her call, one friend jumped into the pond to attempt to rescue her before responders arrived on the scene.
As the car dipped below the water line, Chao called a friend in a panic to explain her situation and over the next several hours rescuers tried in vain to rescue her.
In an incident report obtained by the WSJ, one fire department crew arrived on the scene 24 minutes after getting a call.
One responder described the vehicle as being completely submerged, with some deputies from a sheriff’s department even able to stand on it as they attempted to rescue Chao.
Lighting had to be set up, and dive teams had to be brought in to aid the rescue mission as well as a tow truck.
Despite arriving on the scene, the truck didn’t have a cable long enough to reach the car and the driver was also said to have been afraid of being electrocuted.
After the vehicle was eventually pulled from the water, hundreds of gallons rushed out as the doors were opened, with Chao being found unresponsive.
Angela Chao, who is the head of the dry bulk shipping firm, died earlier last month
Chao is said to have made a mistake with the gearshift on her metallic blue Tesla, the model is seen here, putting the car into reverse and sending into a pond
From L to R, the Chao sisters: Grace, Christine, Elaine, May and Angela Chao, pictured in 2016
Efforts to resuscitate Chao began immediately with paramedics attempting to revive her for 43 minutes.
Typically, the driver and passengers of a sinking car would only have only around 60 seconds to get out before the vehicle would become extremely difficult to escape from.
Previously, drivers would have been able to wind down the window to get out, but nowadays a driver would need to roll the electric windows within seconds of an accident occurring – something that might seem counterintuitive.
Opening a car door would also prove next to impossible given the water pressure against the side of the door.
The tragic death is also now being probed as part of a criminal investigation, according to Blanco County Sheriff’s Office.
In a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office said: ‘This incident was not a typical accident.
‘Although the preliminary investigation indicated this was an unfortunate accident, the Sheriff’s Office is still investigating this accident as a criminal matter until they have sufficient evidence to rule out criminal activity.’
No further details on what kind of criminality may have befallen Chao were shared.
On Friday night, in response to The Journal’s reporting, Chao’s husband simply wrote: ‘We are heartbroken.’
Her father, James S.C. Chao, remembered his youngest daughter as ‘thoughtful, kind and devoted’ as well as being a much-loved ‘charismatic and visionary leader’
The Chao family: Standing far left is Angela – who died in the car crash. In the back row is her sisters Christine, May, and Grace. Sitting next to her father James S.C. Chao is Elaine Chao. James S. C. Chao is seated next to portrait of his late wife
Angela Chao is pictured with her husband Jim Breyer in 2023. Her first husband died during their first year of marriage
Chao’s father, James S.C. Chao, remembered his youngest daughter as ‘thoughtful, kind and devoted’ as well as being a much-loved ‘charismatic and visionary leader.’
He said in a statement: ‘It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved youngest daughter, Angela Chao.
‘Angela is a brilliant woman, a charismatic and visionary leader and much-loved by all her sisters, our entire family and friends.
”As a daughter, sister, mother, aunt, wife and friend, she was unfailingly filial, thoughtful, kind and devoted.’
The family added: ‘As a trail blazer for women in the executive suite, she inspired others to pursue their dreams. She also loved music and tried the French horn as her instrument when young, insisting on carrying it herself to every lesson.
‘These early experiences created a lifelong, passionate commitment to the fine arts.
‘Angela’s name in Chinese sounds like the characters for peace and prosperity. She certainly gave more than her share of both to this world.’
Chao was the sister of McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, who has served as secretary of both the Labor and Transportation departments.
Chao was the sister of McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, who has served as secretary of both the Labor and Transportation departments. McConnell and Chao are seen here in 1993
During his tearful speech on Wednesday, McConnell brought up the passing of Angela saying it was tragic
Angela Chao is pictured with her first husband Bruce Wasserstein, who died in 2009 just months after they wed
McConnell announced last month that he would be stepping down as the Republican leader in the Senate later this year.
Speaking on the Senate floor, he said: ‘This has been a particularly difficult time for my family. We tragically lost Elaine’s younger sister Angela, just a few weeks ago.
‘When you lose a loved one, particularly at a young age, there’s a certain introspection that accompanies the grieving process.’
Angela Chao was married to Jim Breyer, who has an estimated net worth of $2.9 billion.
Breyer is part owner of the Boston Celtics, and previously served on the boards of Facebook, Walmart, Marvel, News Corp and Dell.