FREMONT — A man suspected of driving at least 90 mph before crashing into the rear of another vehicle on Interstate 880 last June, leaving that driver dead, has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other crimes, according to authorities and court records.

He has also been charged in an unrelated domestic violence related case from last month.

The suspect, Paul A. Salas III, 29, of Fremont, is also charged in the fatal crash with driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and driving with a .08 percent blood alcohol causing injury.

He was arrested at his Fremont home on March 25 during a domestic violence case investigation. He was formally charged in that case on March 27 with false imprisonment by violence, possession of an undetectable firearm, possession of an assault weapon and battery. While in custody for that case, he was charged March 28 in the freeway death case, records show.

It was not immediately known why it took so long for charges to be filed in the freeway death case.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges in both cases and has a pre-trial hearing scheduled for April 30. His total bail for both cases is $485,000.

The freeway death happened abut 10:24 p.m. June 12, 2024 on northbound I-880, south of South Fremont Boulevard. Killed was Robert Kwok Yu, 61, of Newark, who died at the scene.

According to court records, Salas was driving a 2013 Hyundai Sonata that crashed into the rear of a 2006 Toyota Prius, driven by Yu, that was stopped in a traffic lane due to construction work. A witness later estimated to CHP officers that the Hyundai was going 90 mph before the collision.

The impact caused the Toyota to push forward into a Tesla Model 3. All three vehicles then spun out and collided with two other vehicles, the records say. No other injuries were reported.

The records say Salas admitted being the driver of the Hyundai and said that he had consumed alcohol before driving. He also failed a field sobriety test, the records say.

He was arrested that night. But since he was not immediately charged, he was released from custody within a few days, apparently pending further investigation.

His March 25 arrest that ended up with him being charged in the two cases happened after the woman who was the alleged victim in the domestic violence related case called police.

She said she and Salas had been in a dating relationship for six months and that on March 21 she was at his Fremont home. She asked to use the bathroom and when she was done found some items missing from her purse, including her cell phone. She demanded them back from Salas, who refused, began throwing items at her and forcibly pushed her towards a desk in a bedroom, the records say.

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She began fighting back and was shoved to the floor. Salas then produced a knife and began cutting up pictures, the records say. The woman was able to briefly gain possession of the knife, but it was eventually taken back by Salas.

After more physical contact between the two, things began to calm down and Salas returned the items taken from the woman to her, the records say. When she saw an opportunity to leave she did and drove away in her vehicle. She also told police that she had seen a firearm in his apartment on prior occasions.

She told police she did not call them right away because she “was just thankful she had escaped and in shock about what had occurred,” the records say.

Fremont police went to his home on March 25, where Salas denied any altercation or verbal argument with the woman. He also claimed he did not have a firearm in the apartment, but a search warrant served at the apartment turned up an un-serialized semi-automatic pistol, the records say.