e-motorbike death – A mother in Orange County faces an involuntary manslaughter charge after an 81-year-old man died weeks following a crash involving an illegal e-motorcycle.
A Vietnam veteran who was struck by an electric motorcycle is now the focus of a new criminal case, as an Orange County mother faces a manslaughter charge tied to his death.
Misryoum reports that Ed Ashman. 81. died Thursday after being critically injured in late-June. when a 14-year-old boy allegedly struck him while riding an e-motorcycle near a high school.. Prosecutors said Ashman had been walking home from his work as a substitute teacher when the collision occurred.
The case has also exposed the growing legal and public-safety debate over how e-motorbikes are regulated. When powerful devices are treated like toys, the consequences can escalate far beyond a neighborhood incident.
The boy’s mother. Tommi Jo Mejer. 50. of Aliso Viejo. was arrested days after the crash and originally charged with offenses including child endangerment and related counts connected to alleged wrongdoing involving a minor.. After Ashman died, prosecutors added an involuntary manslaughter charge, according to Misryoum.
If convicted on all counts, Mejer faces the possibility of prison time under the involuntary manslaughter charge and the earlier allegations. Prosecutors say she could be held accountable for conduct they argue contributed to an unsafe situation.
Meanwhile, Orange County authorities have previously warned that allowing minors to ride these vehicles illegally can lead to criminal liability. This matters because it signals that enforcement is expanding beyond the rider to those supervising access.
Investigators described the vehicle involved as a 2025 Surron Ultra Bee. a model advertised as capable of reaching speeds up to the mid-50s. depending on conditions.. Prosecutors also said deputies had warned Mejer that her son could face criminal consequences. and that the e-motorcycle itself is subject to rules that include licensing requirements and age limits.
In remarks shared through Misryoum. the Orange County district attorney said his office intends to pursue parents in cases where children are allowed to operate electric motorcycles or modified e-bikes in ways that violate the law.. He characterized the vehicles as dangerous when used without the proper authorization.
At the heart of the case is a simple question with serious stakes: who is responsible when a child is handed access to a high-powered vehicle that the law treats as a regulated mode of travel.. As Misryoum reports, this prosecution will test how far that accountability extends in California when injuries prove fatal.