Cabdriver Kidnapped by Jail Fugitives Sues Orange County

A taxi driver who was kidnapped by three escaped inmates earlier this year has filed a lawsuit claiming he is entitled to some of the reward money Orange County officials offered to help find the men.

Long Ma said he didn't think he would survive the ordeal on Jan. 22 when three inmates escaped from an Orange County jail, then got in his cab and forced him to drive to Northern California.

Ma said he helped negotiate the surrender of one inmate, Bac Duong, and provided crucial information that led authorities to the other two -- Hossein Nayeri and Jonathan Tieu -- in San Francisco where they were re-arrested.

But but Ma didn't get any of the $150,000 reward money for the capture of the three men. He believes he's owed $50,000 of the $150,000 -- divided in three for each inmate - that the county issued as a reward.

Ma "provided critical information to OCSD during their investigation and was singularly instrumental in the recapture of Duong," according to the lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court last week.

He said county officials discriminated against him by not awarding him the money while paying reward money two other people who were not Vietnamese.

When he found out he wasn't getting the reward, Ma said his health deteriorated, he suffered severe emotional distress and was unable to eat or sleep, the lawsuit said.

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"The county doesn't care," said Huang Huy Tu, Ma's attorney. "The county didn't do anything for this victim even though it was their fault. The public was in danger."

Lt. Mark Stichter, a spokesman for the sheriff's department, said officials have not been served with the lawsuit.

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