FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA – A high-speed chase through the streets of Fountain Valley ended in tragedy when a suspect fleeing from police collided with another vehicle, resulting in the death of an innocent woman and serious injuries to two others. The chaotic sequence of events began with a domestic dispute that escalated into arson.
The suspect, identified as Cole, allegedly set his family’s home ablaze after an altercation. Shane Schmidt, a witness and future brother-in-law to the suspect, captured the incident on security footage. “I saw him with some kind of accelerant,” Schmidt recounted, describing the moment Cole attempted to ignite the property. Although details about Cole’s past remain undisclosed, Schmidt hinted at previous struggles.
After the fire was extinguished by family members, Cole fled the scene in a white Dodge Ram pickup. Officers later discovered the vehicle abandoned in a parking lot on Brooker Street around 10 p.m. However, Cole returned, seized the truck, and embarked on a reckless escape, prompting a police pursuit.
The chase reached a devastating conclusion at the intersection of Ellis Avenue and Magnolia Street, where Cole ran a red light and struck a white BMW carrying three individuals. The collision claimed the life of a 25-year-old woman passenger and injured the other two occupants, who were rushed to a local hospital for treatment.
As the investigation continues, traffic remains disrupted in the area, with police maintaining an active presence at the crash site. Authorities have since apprehended Cole at a trauma center, where he had been treated for his injuries.
The district attorney’s office is reviewing the case to determine appropriate charges against Cole. Meanwhile, the community is grappling with the senseless loss of life and the impact of the incident on those involved.
The tragic event has left residents of Fountain Valley shaken, as they come to terms with the sudden and violent disruption to their normally quiet neighborhood. Police are urging anyone with additional information to come forward as they piece together the full scope of what transpired.