A man died after being struck by two vehilces, after he was attacked by suspects, one of whom was armed with a machete, according to the Westminster Police Department.
Westminster police officers responded on June 14 to a crash near the 9200 block of Bolsa Avenue, in the Little Saigon area. The officers found the victim as he lay unresponsive on the roadway.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
An attack on the victim by several suspects was caught on surveillance video that has not yet been released by the police. In the video the suspect can be seen escaping from his attackers. He ran into a nearby roadway as he tried to get help from passing drivers.
Unfortunately the victim ended up being struck by two oncoming vehicles.Both drivers opted to flee from the scene before the police officers arrived.
The video revealed that one of the suspects was seen striking the victim in the head with a machete several times.
Westminster police detectives were able to identify the two suspects who were allegedly involved in the attack. The suspects are Keaton Jones, 25, of Westminster and Qui Ly, 56, of Westminster.
Both of the suspects were arrested on June 18. The suspects were booked into the Orange County Jail for attempted homicide.
The police investigators found the machete believed to be used in the attack. It was in one of the suspect’s possession.
Police investigators later found one of the hit-and-run drivers. Their vehicle was tracked to Anaheim, after they fled from the scene.
The second suspect driver and their vehicle, which police described as a newer-model blue or black Toyota RAV4 SUV, remain at large.
The attempted murder assault is being handled as a separate case from the hit and run crashes.
The police have not revealed any details on the assault. They have not yet revealed a motive or how the victim and suspects were known to each other. The police have also not revealed the name of the victim.
Anyone with additional information about these crimes is urged to call Investigator Lin at 714-548-3784 or the Westminster Police Watch Commander at 714-548-3767. Anonymous tips can be provided to OC Crime Stoppers at 1-855-847-6227 or online at occrimestoppers.org.
Criminal Charges Faced by the Assault and Hit and Run Suspects
The suspects arrested in connection with the machete assault are facing charges of attempted homicide (or attempted murder).
Because the incident involves two distinct crimes committed by different parties, the Westminster Police Department is handling the case as two separate investigations:
1. The Machete Attack Suspects
- The Suspects: Keaton Jones (25) and Qui Ly (56), both residents of Westminster, were arrested on June 18, 2026.
- The Charges: Both men were booked into the Orange County Jail on felony attempted homicide charges. Authorities also recovered the machete used in the assault from one of the suspects.
- Why not Murder? Even though the victim ultimately died, police are charging the assault suspects with attempted murder because their direct physical attack did not kill him; he broke free and ran into the street before being hit by oncoming traffic.
2. The Hit-and-Run Drivers
- Driver 1: Police tracked down one of the drivers and their vehicle after they fled the scene to Anaheim. Charges have not yet been formally detailed, but drivers who flee fatal accidents typically face felony charges for hit-and-run resulting in death or injury, alongside potential vehicular manslaughter charges.
- Driver 2: The second driver, who was driving a newer-model blue or black Toyota RAV4, remains at large. Once found, they will face similar felony hit-and-run charges.
Insurance Implications for the Hit and Run Drivers
- Denial of Coverage: Insurance companies will invoke the “intentional acts” or “criminal activity” exclusions to deny coverage for any damage to the driver’s own vehicle.
- Policy Cancellation: Carriers will immediately drop the drivers, labeling them as high-risk. This leaves them unable to secure standard insurance in the future.
- Personal Liability: Because the insurance company will likely refuse to pay out liability claims, the drivers are personally on the hook for all wrongful death lawsuits. The victim’s family can pursue their personal assets, savings, and future wages.
- SR-22 Requirement: If the drivers ever regain their driving privileges, they will be forced to file an SR-22 certificate to prove financial responsibility, driving their future premiums up by 300% or more.
Implications if the Car Was Borrowed (Permissive Use)
In California, insurance typically follows the vehicle rather than the driver. If the suspects were driving someone else’s car:
- Owner Liability: The registered owner’s insurance policy will face the primary liability claims for the death.
- Rate Surges: The innocent owner’s premiums will skyrocket, or their policy will be completely non-renewed due to the massive payout associated with a fatal accident.
- Secondary Coverage: If the owner’s policy limits are exhausted, any secondary coverage the driver personally held would be triggered next—though it will still face the criminal exclusion hurdles mentioned above.
How the Victim’s Family May Seek Financial Recovery
Because the drivers fled and may lack valid insurance, the victim’s family must rely on alternative insurance mechanisms to cover funeral expenses and damages:
- Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI): If the victim owned a vehicle with UMBI coverage, or lived with a relative who did, that policy acts as the “hit-and-run driver’s insurance.” It will pay out up to the policy limits for the wrongful death.
- MedPay / PIP: If available on the victim’s household auto policy, Medical Payments coverage can provide immediate, no-fault funds to cover funeral and burial costs.
- California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB): Since this is an active homicide investigation, the victim’s family may qualify for state-funded emergency financial assistance through CalVCB to help cover burial expenses up to $12,800.