SEAL BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — A 72-year-old Seal Beach woman who was seriously injured after being struck by a teen riding an e-motorcycle earlier this year is speaking publicly for the first time, sharing details of her recovery and urging greater safety and accountability surrounding e-bikes and e-motorcycles.<\/p>\n
Stephanie Potter said she remembers little about the March crash beyond entering a crosswalk at Ocean Avenue around 5:30 p.m. after meeting friends on Main Street.<\/p>\n
She woke up in the ICU with serious injuries.<\/p>\n
“My leg was broken. My right leg, actually my tibia. My left hand, my nose and my jaw — broken,” she said.<\/p>\n
Potter said she later learned she had been struck by a teenager riding what she described as an illegal Surron e-motorcycle.<\/p>\n
The Seal Beach Police Department said the juvenile rider was not injured.<\/p>\n
Potter spent two weeks in the ICU followed by four weeks at a rehabilitation facility. She was able to go home after she could speak and swallow independently.<\/p>\n
Four months after the crash, she remains in recovery.<\/p>\n
“My jaw’s not quite fixed, so my verbiage is a little mumbled,” Potter said.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on her survival, Potter said, “I don’t know if someone was watching over me. I don’t know how I survived, because I had some pretty extensive injuries.”<\/p>\n