Police pursuit of an arson suspect ended in a fatal traffic collision in Fountain Valley

On December 2, 2024, at approximately 7:30 PM, officers from the Fountain Valley Police Department responded to a home in the 18000 block of Arches Court in reference to an arson that just occurred. The suspect was gone upon officer arrival.

Investigation revealed because of an ongoing domestic dispute, a known suspect doused a bush adjacent to the home with lighter fluid and lit it on fire. The fire engulfed the bush in flames and spread to the structure of the home. The fire was extinguished by residents prior to officer arrival.

Using investigative resources, officers located the suspect’s unoccupied vehicle, a white Dodge Ram truck in a parking lot in the 17900 block of Brookhurst in Fountain Valley. Officers conducted surveillance of the Dodge, and at approximately 10:00 PM, the suspect was seen entering the Dodge and drove toward Brookhurst Street. Upon seeing marked police cars closing in, the suspect fled southbound Brookhurst at a high rate of speed, and officers initiated a pursuit.

The pursuit terminated on Ellis and Magnolia when the Dodge collided with a white BMW X3 in the intersection. Officers took the suspect into custody without incident and rendered medical aid to three occupants in the BMW while awaiting paramedics. The pursuit traveled less than a mile in the span of less than a minute.

Preliminary investigation showed during the pursuit, the suspect drove at a high rate of speed against a red traffic light westbound Ellis through Magnolia and collided with the BMW traveling southbound on Magnolia. The three occupants of the BMW were transported to a local trauma center, and the suspect was transported to a trauma center in llong Beach.

A 25-year-old female passenger from Huntington Beach in the BMW was pronounced deceased on the way to the trauma center. The other two victims are listed in critical and stable condition, and the suspect ris listed in serious condition with non-life­ threatening injuries. The identification of the deceased female is not being released, pending notification to the next of kin.

The suspect was identified as 43-year-old Timothy Bradford Cole from Huntington Beach. Specific charges against Cole are pending. Any witnesses or persons with information about the coUision are encouraged to call the Fountain Valley Police Department at 714-593-4485

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Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions.

When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.