Santa Ana Street Racing Incident Turns Fatal Friday

SANTA ANA, CA — A street racing incident in Santa Ana turned deadly early Friday morning, when a BMW 328i lost control as the suspected drunk driver attempted to race a Dodge Charger according to Santa Ana Police Department reports.

The driver, 21-year-old motorist John Nguyen of Garden Grove, suffered major injuries and was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and allegedly killing his passenger while racing with another motorist Friday in Santa Ana.

Police believe Nguyen was driving a red 2007 BMW 328i, and racing northbound on Fairview Street, possibly against a black or dark blue Dodge Charger with green underbody lights, when he lost control of his car after passing MacArthur Boulevard, the Santa Ana Police Department reported.

A Westminster man was killed when the car he was riding in crashed during a street race according to Santa Ana Police.

The 21-year-old Westminster resident, Federico Hernandez according to the coroner's office, perished in the collision, as a result of a suspected street racing incident.

Nguyen's BMW struck two trees that lined the raised center median on Fairview Street. The impact caused the front end of the car to impale one of the trees, while the back portion of the vehicle, along with the two occupants, continued in a northwest direction. It came to rest on the west sidewalk of Fairview Street.

Officers were dispatched to the scene at just after 12:30 a.m., where Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene. Paramedics rushed Nguyen to an area hospital.

Police said alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Santa Ana police asked anyone with any information regarding the crash to call them at (714) 834-4211.

City News Service contributed to this report.