FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A 13-year-old boy has died and two other children significantly injured in two separate crashes involving e-bikes since Friday in Fresno.<\/p>\n
Those incidents have put e-bike safety at the top of mind throughout the city as some can go nearly 30 mph.<\/p>\n
“These things are going much faster than a regular bicycle, and a lot of these kids do not have the expertise to be riding these things,” Fresno Police Sgt. Michael McCray said.<\/p>\n
13-year-old Dominiq Puentes and a 12-year-old were riding a minibike near Bullard and Palm in Northwest Fresno around 10:30 Friday, when the night turned deadly.<\/p>\n
Exclusive video obtained by Action News from a nearby Chevron shows the moment just before the two children and a truck collide, killing Puentes and critically injuring the 12-year-old.<\/p>\n
The cause remains under investigation.<\/p>\n
Then on Sunday, police say a 16-year-old boy on a pocket bike crashed into a vehicle on West and Shields in Central Fresno, leaving the boy seriously hurt.<\/p>\n
Officers believe that the teen was possibly under the influence of alcohol.<\/p>\n
Police say everyone needs to obey the rules of the road and parents should be on alert.<\/p>\n
“Be aware of what your kids are doing and prevent some of these accidents yourselves by not allowing them to be on these vehicles,” Sgt. McCray stated.<\/p>\n
These incidents come just days before National Bike and Roll to School Day on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The Fresno Unified School District using that day to educate students on the safety of e-bikes.<\/p>\n
“Always wear your helmet, follow the traffic laws and signals, ride with traffic,” Vanessa Ramirez with Fresno Unified Emergency Response said.<\/p>\n
Both the district and Fresno Police advise kids be educated on the bikes themselves and the roads before getting on one.<\/p>\n
The District Attorney’s office sent Action News a statement that reads:<\/p>\n
“Our hearts are with the family of the 13-year-old who lost his life and with the child who was injured in Friday night’s crash. This is a heartbreaking and avoidable tragedy.<\/p>\n
What we are seeing with increasing frequency are young teens operating motorized bikes, scooters and golf carts in dangerous ways – often at night, without proper supervision, protective equipment and in active traffic. These are not toys. They can reach speeds that put a child’s life and the lives of others at serious risk in a matter of seconds.<\/p>\n
While every case is fact-specific, parents and guardians should understand that there can be serious ramifications when a child is allowed to operate these modes of transportation unsafely. Those consequences are not only legal – they can be irreversible and deadly.<\/p>\n
We urge families to take this seriously and for the community to report unsafe riding when they see it. Awareness and intervention can save lives.”<\/p>\n
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