White supremacist charged with murder, arson after police chase crash kills tourist in Fountain Valley

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. - Orange County officials charged a man they called a "documented white supremacist gang member" with murder and arson, after they say he set fire to a relative's house, then led police on a short chase that ended up killing an innocent tourist in Fountain Valley.

Timothy Bradford Cole II faces up to nearly 120 years in prison if convicted on all charges, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday. 

Officials say it all started with a custody dispute. According to the DA's office, Cole set fire to a bush outside his sister's fiancé's house in Fountain Valley on Dec. 2, after losing custody of his children. The DA's office called the fire apparent retaliation, after Cole's sister called child protective services on him.

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A few hours after the fire, police officers saw Cole walking back to his truck near the home. When they tried to stop him, they said Cole drove off, and police chased him. The chase didn't last long though. Cole had gotten just over a mile down the road, when officers said he drove through a red light at the intersection of Ellis Avenue and Magnolia Street at nearly 90 mph.

Cole's truck crashed into a white BMW at the intersection, sending his truck rolling, police said.

One woman in the BMW was killed in the crash. Two others were injured, including the driver who fractured her spine and pelvis.

On Thursday, officials identified the woman who was killed as 25-year-old Hong Ngoc Nguyen, who was visiting the U.S. from Vietnam. 

"No one could have predicted that a series of events set in motion by a complete stranger would turn Miss Nguyen’s American vacation into an American nightmare," Orange County DA Todd Spitzer said in a press release.

Cole is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 20.