Fil-Am Marine survives Afghanistan but is killed by drunk driver

US Marine Lance Cpl. Andrew Silva

FREMONT, California — A Filipino-American U.S. Marine who had returned from Afghanistan only last month, was killed in vehicular crash March 25 when a drunken driving suspect rammed into the motorcycle the victim was riding.

Lance Cpl. Andrew Silva, 23, of Union City, was killed on Fremont Blvd. and Decoto Road. Police arrested Alexander Yohn, 23, of Emeryville. He is married and has a young child.

Silva was a U.S. Marine reservist who had returned from Afghanistan in February.

The incident began about 1 a.m. when an employee of a Taco Bell restaurant near Fremont Boulevard and Bonde Way saw Yohn, who was driving a Mini Cooper in the drive-through, acting belligerently and appearing intoxicated .

Yohn tried to pay for food with a health care card and then left his wallet behind, police said. The employee called police.

Yohn left in his car at a high speed. A police officer who saw the suspect tried to stop him. The suspect reportedly ran a red light and crashed into Silva, who was thrown several feet in the air. Silva died at the scene.

Yohn crashed his car into a utility pole and tried to flee. Police caught him and took him into custody.

He is charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and hit-and-run causing death or injury. His bail was set at $150,000. Yohn is to appear March 27 at the Fremont Hall of Justice pending a review of the case by Alameda County prosecutors.