Orange County prosecutors say an alleged white supremacist gang member led police on a high-speed chase that ended in a fiery crash that killed one Vietnamese tourist and seriously injured two others. He was charged with murder.
Timothy Bradford Cole II, 43, of Huntington Beach, was charged Thursday with one count of murder for fleeing a security guard resulting in death, two counts of felony fleeing a security guard resulting in serious injury, one count of arson of a residential structure and one count of felonious assault. Ta. Enhancement of arson through the use of accelerators.
Cole was arrested Monday night after a Dodge Ram truck collided with a white BMW X3 at Ellis and Magnolia streets in Fountain Valley, police said.
Prosecutors said the sequence of events began when Cole allegedly used an accelerant to set fire to bushes at the Fountain Valley home of his sister’s fiance. He claimed the fire was in retaliation for his sister losing custody of her child after she called Child Protective Services. Authorities said the fire was extinguished with help from neighbors.
Prosecutors said a Fountain Valley police officer spotted Cole two hours later and tried to pull him over, but Cole refused and led officers on a short pursuit. Prosecutors allege Cole ran a red light at 90 mph and crashed into a BMW X3, causing it to roll over.
The woman who died in the crash was identified as 25-year-old Hong Ngoc Nguyen, who prosecutors said was a visitor from Vietnam and was sitting in the back seat. The driver of the BMW suffered a fractured spine and pelvis, and the other passenger suffered a broken arm.
“No one could have predicted that a series of events set in motion by a stranger would turn Ms. Nguyen’s American vacation into an American nightmare,” Dist said. Atty. Todd Spitzer said. “There are no words to express our deep sadness at the death of a young woman who found herself in the path of someone who had a complete disregard for human life.”
“We are committed to achieving justice for Ms. Nguyen and her loved ones.”
Prosecutors said Cole was a white supremacist gang member with “six previous strikes.” If convicted on all charges, he could be sentenced to up to 70 years to life in prison, plus 48 years and eight months in state prison. He is scheduled to be arraigned at Westminster Crown Court on December 20.
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