Crash During Pursuit Kills Unborn Child

A Long Beach woman’s unborn child was killed and she was critically injured Thursday when a man fleeing police crashed into the car in which she was riding with her fiance in Garden Grove.

Sully Portillo, 22, who was seven months’ pregnant, was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange with trauma to the chest area and knee. Her 22-year-old fiance, Anthony Moore, who was also taken there, was stable with injuries to the wrist, knee and abdomen.

The string of events leading to the accident began about 2:45 a.m., when police tried to stop Hung V. Mai, 35, for allegedly speeding in a black four-door Lexus near Westminster Avenue and Clinton Street. Instead of stopping, police said, he continued speeding and flashing his headlights on and off, initiating a high-speed chase that ended when he entered the Garden Grove Freeway in the wrong direction and collided with the green Mercury Cougar with Portillo and Moore inside.

Mai, who is suspected of driving under the influence of narcotics and alcohol, was treated for minor bumps and bruises at Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center before being booked on suspicion of parole violation from earlier convictions for drug and weapon possession. More allegations may be lodged, authorities said, after analysis of blood samples taken at the time of his arrest.

He is being held without bail at Chino state prison, with arraignment set for Tuesday.