Man charged with DUI in Huntington crash that injured L.A. County deputy

A Corona man was charged with driving under the influence and several other crimes Monday in connection with a crash that injured a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy in Huntington Beach.

William Long Thai Nguyen, 29, was charged by the Orange County district attorney’s office with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs causing bodily injury, driving a vehicle without a valid license, possession of marijuana while driving and a sentencing enhancement of inflicting great bodily injury.

Prosecutors allege that Nguyen consumed alcohol and methamphetamine before driving his sedan east on Slater Avenue at about 4:30 a.m. Thursday.

The deputy, who lives in Huntington Beach, was headed to work in his patrol vehicle with his canine partner as he drove north on Newland Street, according to Huntington Beach police.

Prosecutors allege that Nguyen ran a red light at the intersection of Newland and Slater and smashed into the deputy’s SUV. Both vehicles crashed into a brick wall at the northeast corner of the intersection.

The deputy was knocked unconscious and had to be cut out of his vehicle. He and Nguyen were taken to hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

The deputy’s dog was not injured and was taken by another sheriff’s deputy who responded to the scene, police said.

A pretrial hearing for Nguyen is scheduled for Dec. 15 in Westminster. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of six years in state prison and six months in county jail.

Nguyen was convicted in 2013 of driving under the influence in Orange County, officials said.