6 More OC Parents, 1 Sibling Charged With Child Endangerment For E-Moto Crashes, DA Says

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Six more parents — and one older brother — of children reported to have illegally used e-motorcycles are now facing criminal charges, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The cases mean that local prosecutors have filed a dozen criminal cases against parents in Orange County related to their children's e-motorcycle or e-bike since January, according to The Orange County Register.

Among the family members facing charges announced Wednesday include:

— A man whose 15-year-old brother rode his e-motorcycle during a pursuit with La Palma officers that ended after the boy lost control of his bike and crashed into the bushes.

— A father whose 11-year-old son crashed with a pick-up truck while riding his e-motorcycle at more than 33 miles per hour.

— A mother whose 9-year-old son was hit by a pick-up truck while he was speeding at more than 47 miles per hour in Yorba Linda.

— A couple whose 17-year-old son led Newport Beach Police officers on a pursuit while traveling more than 40 miles per hour on an e-motorcycle. The teen was accused of driving around pedestrians on sidewalks and traveling the wrong way on public streets.

— The father of a 13-year-old who led Garden Grove police on a pursuit on his e-motorcycle that ended when he crashed into a police vehicle.

"We don't want to have to prosecute parents — we want to save kids' lives," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. "When parents refuse to parent and tell their kids 'no' when it comes to riding something that is dangerous and illegal, then I have no choice but to hold parents accountable and file criminal charges."

The announcement comes after the parents of a teen killed in an E-Moto accident in Garden Grove were charged with child endangerment, prosecutors said Tuesday.

The victim's father — Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, of Santa Ana — was charged Thursday with a felony count of child endangerment and a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49, of Santa Ana — the mother of Benson Nguyen, who was 13 when the fatal crash occurred — was charged Thursday with misdemeanor child abuse and endangerment.

Benson was speeding and flashing through red lights while doing wheelies on an E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 when he crashed into a vehicle on Magnolia Street near Larson Avenue at about 10 p.m. on May 7, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Benson slammed into a raised center divider and fell off the bike before slamming into a concrete light pole, prosecutors said. The teen was rushed to UCI Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

Prosecutors say the teen's father bought his son the e-bike despite multiple warnings about Benson's reckless riding. Benson also suffered a broken leg in a crash six months before he was killed, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors also pointed to multiple videos on the boy's TikTok and Instagram accounts of daredevil riding stunts.

Riders of the types of vehicles Benson used require a motorcycle license as well as required equipment, prosecutors said. State law draws a distinction between e-bikes and e-motorcycles when it comes to age and licensing requirements.

The parents are scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 12.

City News Service contributed to this report.