Road-rage fight suspect headed to court

A man is scheduled to appear in court today after he pulled out a machete on a cabdriver in Costa Mesa during an argument the two had early Sunday, authorities said.

Phong Van Trong, 48, of West Covina, is in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail after Huntington Beach police arrested him for allegedly hitting a cab driver in the leg with the flat side of a machete blade, police said.

About 1:30 a.m. Sunday near Euclid Street and the 405 Freeway in Fountain Valley, police say Trong and a cabdriver became embroiled in an argument after one had cut the other off, leading to a chase on the 405 Freeway.

The cabdriver exited on Bristol Street in Costa Mesa, where Trong managed to pull ahead of him and block his car in the street, Costa Mesa Sgt. Bryan Glass said.

Trong got out of his car and went over to the man, and the two began fighting, Glass said. Somewhere in the fight, authorities say Trong returned to his car and pulled out the machete.

When the cabdriver tried to call police with his cellphone, Trong grabbed it and ran back to his car and sped off, Glass said. The cabdriver and a witness to the conflict gave chase, according to police.

The witness called police and followed Trong into Huntington Beach, near Beach Boulevard and Warner Avenue, where he was eventually arrested, police said. The cabdriver did not appear to be seriously injured, police said.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].