SACRAMENTO, CA — A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded last week when a high-speed police pursuit ended in a devastating seven-vehicle crash in South Sacramento, claiming the life of an innocent man. Authorities have now identified the victim as 30-year-old Huynh Huu Duc Nguyen, a resident of Elk Grove, whose life was cut short in a senseless chain of events stemming from a domestic violence incident.
According to the Sacramento Police Department, the incident began on June 1, when officers responded to a domestic violence report on Farm Dale Way. The suspect, 33-year-old Daniel Cunningham of Sacramento, fled the scene before officers arrived. Days later, on June 7, officers returned to the same residence for a civil standby after the original victim—who police say was assaulted by Cunningham—requested help retrieving her belongings.
When officers arrived, Cunningham was spotted and fled once again—this time in a vehicle. What followed was a reckless high-speed chase through Sacramento’s busy streets. At approximately 10:15 a.m., the suspect’s vehicle sped westbound on Florin Road, ultimately careening into traffic at the intersection of Florin Road and Greenhaven Drive, crashing into seven vehicles.
Among those struck was Huynh Nguyen. Despite immediate response from fire personnel, Nguyen was pronounced dead at the scene.
“This was a completely avoidable tragedy,” said SPD Officer Anthony Gamble. “This suspect was wanted for domestic violence, was a parolee at large, and made a series of decisions that led to the death of an innocent person.”
Cunningham attempted to flee the crash site on foot but was apprehended by officers with the assistance of a K9 unit. He was taken to a local hospital, medically cleared, and then booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail. He now faces charges including parole violation, domestic violence, and felony evasion. The California Highway Patrol’s Major Accident Investigation Team is continuing to investigate the crash to determine if additional charges—such as vehicular manslaughter—are warranted.
The loss of Huynh Nguyen has left his family and community devastated. Described by loved ones as a kind and hardworking young man, Nguyen had no connection to the events that triggered the pursuit. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time—a victim of someone else’s recklessness.
As the legal process unfolds, the community mourns the loss of a life taken far too soon. A memorial has begun to grow at the crash site, where friends, neighbors, and strangers have come to pay their respects.
For Nguyen’s family, the pain is immeasurable—and the questions haunting. How could a pursuit over a domestic violence suspect end in such devastation?
As Sacramento grieves this loss, calls for accountability and reflection on public safety measures continue to grow. But for now, a family is left in mourning, and a city is left to grapple with the tragic cost of one man’s flight from justice.