FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA – A tragic police pursuit on Monday evening resulted in one fatality and four individuals hospitalized after a grisly rollover crash in Fountain Valley.
The incident began earlier in the evening with an alleged arson, culminating in a high-speed chase and a deadly collision. The victim, identified as Hong Ngoc Nguyen, 25, a foreign exchange student from Vietnam, was killed when the suspect’s truck collided with another vehicle at the intersection of Ellis Avenue and Magnolia Street.
Timeline of Events
The chain of events began at approximately 7:30 p.m. when Fountain Valley police responded to a house fire on Arches Court. Residents reported a fire sparked by a bush ignited near the home, which quickly spread to the residence. The flames were extinguished by residents before firefighters arrived.
Authorities later identified the suspect as 43-year-old Timothy Bradford Cole of Huntington Beach. According to police, the fire was the result of an ongoing domestic dispute.
At around 10:00 p.m., police located Cole’s unoccupied Dodge Ram truck in a parking lot on Brookhurst Street. When Cole returned to the vehicle, officers initiated a brief but high-speed pursuit.
The Crash
The pursuit lasted less than one minute and covered less than a mile. Cole ran a red light at the intersection of Ellis Avenue and Magnolia Street, crashing into a white BMW X3 carrying three occupants.
Nguyen, a passenger in the suspect’s truck, succumbed to her injuries at the scene.
The BMW occupants were rushed to the hospital, with one in critical condition and another in stable condition. The third occupant was treated and released. Cole sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was later booked at Orange County Jail after his release from the hospital.
Charges Against Cole
Cole now faces felony charges, including:
- Murder
- Eluding a peace officer causing death
- Arson
Specific additional charges are pending, according to the Fountain Valley Police Department (FVPD).
Community Impact and Response
The tragic crash has left the Fountain Valley community reeling. Nguyen’s death is particularly devastating, as she was a young international student pursuing her dreams.
Police continue to investigate the events leading up to the crash and have urged anyone with additional information to contact the Fountain Valley Police Department.