A San Francisco jury has convicted 37-year-old Chi Chung Stephen Cho of driving under the influence after he crashed his car into the wall of the Yerba Buena Tunnel on westbound Interstate 80 near the Bay Bridge, with prosecutors saying his blood alcohol level was nearly double the legal limit. The crash happened just before 5 a.m. on October 5, 2025, and did not result in any serious injuries or deaths.
According to KRON4, prosecutors said Cho was driving westbound on Interstate 80 near the tunnel when he crashed into the tunnel wall. California Highway Patrol officers responded to the scene and arrested him after noticing signs that he was intoxicated, prosecutors said. A separate account from thesfnews.com places the crash at approximately 4:48 a.m., with CHP arriving two minutes later and becoming aware of his inebriation before taking him into custody.
A chemical test administered at 5:02 a.m. measured Cho's blood alcohol concentration at 0.133 percent, well above the 0.08 percent legal threshold, per the same account from the SF news outlet. Prosecutors said that figure alone put him over the line, but a subsequent retrograde analysis pushed the estimate even higher, suggesting his actual BAC while behind the wheel was somewhere between 0.144 percent and 0.160 percent — about twice the legal limit, according to prosecutors.
Jury Returns Guilty Verdict on Both DUI Counts
The jury convicted Cho on two counts: driving under the influence of alcohol, and driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said the verdict sends a message about the dangers of impaired driving, according to KRON4's report.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Shauna Kashyap, with paralegal Nohemi Torres and IT support from Ada Yu assisting, thesfnews.com reported. The evidence reviewed does not indicate the date the verdict was reached, nor does it specify what sentence, if any, Cho may face.
What Remains Unknown
Key details about the case's aftermath have not been made public in the available reporting. There is no confirmation of Cho's sentencing date or any probation and custody terms, and no information has surfaced identifying his defense attorney or outlining any response from his legal team. The crash caused no serious injuries or deaths, but further specifics about vehicle damage or any roadway closure near the Yerba Buena Tunnel were not detailed in either account of the case.
