A 36-year-old man was taken into custody Wednesday after allegedly attempting to light another man on fire in Westminster.
Westminster Police Department officers were called about 11:45 a.m. to the area of McFadden Avenue and Oakcliff Drive, near Coronet Park, on reports of an assault and made contact with the victim who said he was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by a man, according to a department statement.
The victim told police the man “made a derogatory comment towards Hispanics, then threw a cup of gasoline on him.” The suspect then allegedly attempted to ignite the gasoline with a lighter, but the victim drove away in his vehicle.
The suspect — later identified as Danh Nguyen of Westminster — fled the scene “in a vehicle he did not have permission to have,” but was located by police in the area of Bushard Street and Westminster Avenue.
Officers attempted to stop Nguyen, but he attempted to flee, leading police on a short pursuit that ended when the vehicle Nguyen was in collided with a planter wall in the area of Brookhurst Street and Hazard Avenue. He was taken into custody without further incident, and was not injured in the collision.
Nguyen was booked into the Orange County Jail for attempted murder and attempted arson.
