metro

Driver arrested for killing couple, toddler at bus stop

Published

1 year ago

March 19, 2024

Driver arrested for killing couple, toddler at bus stop

The driver who ran 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, driving the wrong way, 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 head to the zoo. The baby is in critical condition following the horror crash.

‘A lot of things I know about love, I learned from them. They were an amazing couple. They had no issues with anything. It was love, love, love. They took care of the kids and were going to the zoo for a nice day at the park,’ Rogerio Falerio, a close friend of the family, said.

Some witnesses said Lau suffered a medical incident before the crash. Other said she got out of the car yelling ‘What have I done?’ Police have not released details on what led to the horror crash.

Lau was initially taken to the hospital for injuries and it remains unclear what caused her car to hop the curb, crash into a fire hydrant, pole and side of the local library.

Matilde was taken to the hospital after the crash, while her husband and child died at the scene. She died on Sunday in the hospital.

Other people waiting for the bus to arrive were also injured from the crash and received medical attention.

Friends of the family told CBS News the surviving child is about two-months-old and suffered life-threatening injuries.

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They lived in the Mission District, a neighborhood in the Bay Area, and planned to spend a day at the zoo together for Diego and Matilde’s wedding anniversary, friends said.

Falerio said that Diego was from Brazil and his wife was 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.’

Advocates from Walk San Francisco added three pairs of shoes in honor of the mother, father and child who were tragically lost.

Witnesses said that the toddler went flying in the air from the impact of the crash.

Another witness, Nikki Mashburn, told The San Francisco Chronicle that she heard the crash and that is sounded like ‘an explosion.’ She said that the victims suffered head injuries.

‘When the paramedics showed up, you could tell … they didn’t know what to do first,’ Mashburn said.

‘The stroller was clearly destroyed. Yeah, so he was still strapped in there,’ Johanna Dimayuga, a resident in the area told CBS News.

Gabriel Cinquepalm, another witness, said that he saw Lau after the crash as she got out of her vehicle with a look as if to say: ‘What have I done?’ and that she was screaming at the sky.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said Saturday it was investigating the cause of the crash in collaboration 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 for the family at 5pm on Monday at the crash site.

‘We are heartbroken and heartsick and horrified,’ Jodie Medeiros, the executive director of the advocacy group said.

‘This is one of the worst pedestrian tragedies to ever occur on San Francisco streets. It is almost beyond comprehension.’

Following the tragedy, the group and locals have voiced their concerns about the intersection of Ulloa Street and West Portal Avenue where the bus stop is located.

The group noted that around the intersection, there are multiple places where families and children frequent, like a library, schools and train stations.

‘It’s time to fundamentally rethink areas like where this crash occurred, where thousands of people walk and cross and wait every day,’ Medeiros said.

This was the second child killed in the city in less than a year, as deadly crashes like these have surged and left residents uneasy.

Driver arrested for killing couple, toddler at bus stop

metro

Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

Published

7 hours ago

March 29, 2025

Trends Admin

Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

A Magistrates’ Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday sentenced a mother, Falilatu Amidu, and her daughter, Ayisatu, to six months imprisonment each for stealing dry ponmo, stock fish and dried meat valued N1 million

The defendants, who reside at No 21 Ago-Oko area of Abeokuta, were convicted on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Odumosu, held that the evidence presented by the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts were guilty of the offence as charged.

Odumosu sentenced both mother and daughter to six months in prison each with an option of N5,000 fine.

She ordered that the convicts should refund N100,000 each to the complainant as restitution before accessing the N5,000 fine option.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Kehinde Fawunmi, had told the court that the defendants committed the offence at Lafenwa market sometime in August 2024.

Fawunmi explained that Falilatu conspired with her daughter, Ayisatu, to steal a big sack containing stock fish, dried ponmo and dried cow meat valued N1million, belonging to one Mrs kafayat Alao.

According to him, one of the defendants, Falilatu, used to help the complainant to carry load from her store in Lafenwa to where the complainant sells her items.

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“The complainant asked her to help her pick some goods from the store. She waited for over an hour and did not see the defendant, which made her to go to the store to check on her.

“On getting to the store, she did not find Falilatu, and she noticed a big bag containing dried meat, ponmo and stock fish was missing while the defendant was nowhere to be found,” he said.

Fawunmi further explained that Falilatu stole the goods and gave it to her daughter (Ayisatu) to sell. He said Ayisatu received the goods from her mother, knowing that they were stolen.

The prosecutor noted that the offence committed contravened sections 516, 390(9) and 127 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun 2006.

Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

metro

Ex-Rivers HoS wife cries for help over husband’s safety

Published

7 hours ago

March 29, 2025

Trends Admin

Florence Nwaeke and her husband, George Nwaeke

Ex-Rivers HoS wife cries for help over husband’s safety

The wife of the immediate past Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, has voiced concerns over his whereabouts and well-being following his resignation, saying she has been unable to reach him.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Florence Nwaeke said she became alarmed after seeing an online interview attributed to her husband, which she found suspicious.

“When he got to Abuja, he called that he had landed. I said, ‘Thank God,’” she recalled.

However, after coming across the interview, she began to fear something was amiss.

“I said, ‘That is not my husband. That is not my husband.’

“So I sent him a message. I said, ‘Are you under duress?’ I sent him a message. I said, ‘Have they kidnapped you? Talk to me now. Why are you not talking to me?’ This is the message I sent to him when I saw his interview online,” she said.

Overcome with worry, she made an emotional appeal for help.

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“Oh, Jesus, help me. Nigerians, help me. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. Look at the message I sent to him. See the message I sent to him. I said, ‘Daddy, why? Were you in hostage?’ I said, ‘Why didn’t you talk to me?’ These are the messages I sent to him, but he didn’t reply to me. His numbers are not going through. Nigerians, help me! Nigerians, help me!” she pleaded.

Her concerns follow allegations made by George Nwaeke against suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Nwaeke had accused the governor of plotting to back Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for the 2027 presidency and of using militants to attack oil facilities. He also alleged that Fubara ordered the bombing of the State House of Assembly in 2023 to prevent his impeachment.

Florence Nwaeke, beyond raising alarm in the media, also directed a personal plea to the governor.

“Governor, help me. My husband is in trouble. He is in trouble,” she implored, claiming that her husband resigned under pressure.

However, Fubara dismissed the claims, insisting that Nwaeke had been influenced by external forces.

“The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me,” the governor stated late Friday.

Fubara also released screenshots purportedly showing chats between Nwaeke and his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, where Nwaeke allegedly requested financial assistance.

Ex-Rivers HoS wife cries for help over husband’s safety

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Fubara reacts as Ex-HOS, Nwaeke accuses him of bombing oil pipelines, Rivers Assembly

Published

7 hours ago

March 29, 2025

Trends Admin

Siminalayi Fubara

Fubara reacts as Ex-HOS, Nwaeke accuses him of bombing oil pipelines, Rivers Assembly

Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara has denied accusations from his former Head of Service, George Nwaeke, disclosing that he never ordered the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly or any Oil Pipeline.

Fubara, in a statement made available to newsmen, stated that no such thing occurred during his administration. The statement read;

“My attention has been drawn to a press briefing by the former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke aired on Channels Television on Friday the 28th of March 2025. Ordinarily, I would not have responded to his claims, but to correct the erroneous impression such allegations may create in the minds of the people, and the disaffection it is bound to cause in the state and the country.”

“First, on the claim that he was aware of my discussions and plans to support Bala Mohammed’s alleged 2027 presidential bid, it is laughable that Dr. Nwaeke would be part of any high level political meeting as Head of Service, much more sitting in my alleged night meetings with Bala Mohammed and militants like he claimed. Howbeit, none of such meetings ever held.”

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“The truth is that the whole world knew when the Bauchi State Governor, as Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum visited the State, and there was nothing secret about the visits.”

“It is also ludicrous for Dr. Nwaeke to claim that he was aware of my meetings to encourage attacks on oil pipelines and other National assets in the State, as there was no time I held any meeting with militants or any criminal group to destabilise the State. It is on record that I have been at the forefront preaching peace in the State even in the face of obvious provocations.”

“The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me.”

“I call on all well meaning Nigerians and the good people of Rivers State to disregard everything said by Dr. Nwaeke as they are mere desperate attempts to discredit me and my administration, and undermine the peace process by Mr. President”.