San Francisco, CA – San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that her office secured a conviction of Chi Chung Stephen Cho (37), after a trial by jury for driving under the influence on the Bay Bridge westbound near Yerba Buena Tunnel. Mr. Cho was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol (VC 23152(a)) and driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or greater (VC 23152(b)).
“The jury’s verdict holds Mr. Cho accountable for his crimes and sends a message that driving under the influence will not be tolerated,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “This case should serve as a stark warning to others of the risk that they put themselves and others in when they choose to drive under the influence. My office will continue to do everything we can to protect the public and our roads from those who engage in this very dangerous behavior.”
According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, on October 5, 2025, at approximately 4:48 a.m., Mr. Cho crashed his vehicle into the side of the Yerba Buena tunnel on I-80 westbound. California Highway Patrol Officers quickly responded, slowing down traffic to safely remove the disabled vehicle and Mr. Cho from the tunnel. Upon moving Mr. Cho to a safe location off of the highway, officers immediately noticed objective signs of intoxication. Officers conducted a DUI investigation and placed Mr. Cho under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol. A chemical breath test at 5:02 a.m., measured a .133% BAC. Retrograde analysis estimated that Mr. Cho’s BAC at the time of driving was between .144%-.160%, which is two times the legal limit.
The case against Mr. Cho was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Shauna Kashyap with assistance from paralegal Nohemi Torres and IT support from Ada Yu. Prosecutors were able to develop a strong case against Mr. Cho based on the California Highway Patrol’s thorough investigation and assistance.
“It is a miracle that this horrific collision did not result in even more serious injuries or loss of life,” said Assistant District Attorney Shauna Kashyap. “The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office remains committed to protecting our communities by holding impaired drivers accountable and working to prevent the devastating consequences of reckless and entirely preventable conduct.”
The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office takes all driving under the influence cases seriously and seeks to hold offenders accountable in all cases. For the most serious DUI felony cases, the office established a Felony DUI Vertical Prosecution Unit with a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Court Number: 25021596
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