Placentia Youth Killed, 3 Hurt as Car Hits Pole in Yorba Linda

A Placentia youth was killed and three others injured Wednesday afternoon when their car slammed into a power pole in Yorba Linda, forcing rescuers to use prying tools to free them from the twisted car.

Cuong Nguyen, 18, the driver of the car, died from massive internal injuries at UCI Medical Center, Brea Police Lt. Jim Winder said.

Also in the car were Tammy Martinez, 16, of Placentia, who was in critical condition at UCI Medical Center; Michael Jackson, 17, of Fullerton, in critical condition at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, and Antonio Morrow, 16, of Placentia, in stable condition at Western Medical Center, Winder said.

The accident occurred shortly before noon on southbound Richfield Road. Nguyen was trying to pass a pickup truck at high speed when he lost control of his car, hit a curb and crashed into a Southern California Edison Co. power pole, Orange County Fire Department information officer Craig Kinoshita said.

It took 25 county firefighters and personnel from assisting units 20 minutes to pry the passengers from the car, which was “wrapped around the pole,” Kinoshita said.

A 12,000-volt power line broke and fell next to the car, hampering rescue efforts, said Fire Capt. Lou Furst.

Firefighters used a hydraulic prying device to free the victims, who were taken to trauma centers by the “Life Flight” air ambulance, a Marine Corps helicopter and two ground ambulances.