Six more parents, as well as an older brother, of children alleged to have illegally used e-motorcycles are now facing criminal charges, the Orange County District Attorney\u2019s Office announced on Wednesday, Oct. 21.<\/p>\n
The newly announced cases mean that local prosecutors have filed a dozen criminal cases against parents in Orange County related to their children\u2019s e-motorcycle or e-bike use since January.<\/p>\n
Among the family members facing the new charges announced Wednesday include:<\/p>\n
\u2014 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 and crashed into bushes.<\/p>\n
\u2014 A father whose 11-year-old son collided with a pickup truck while riding his e-motorcycle at more than 33 miles per hour.<\/p>\n
\u2014 A mother whose 9-year-old son was struck by a pickup truck while he was speeding at more than 47 miles per hour in Yorba Linda.<\/p>\n
\u2014 A couple whose 17-year-old son led Newport Beach police on a pursuit while traveling more than 40 miles per hour on an e-motorcycle. The boy was accused of driving around pedestrians on sidewalks and traveling the wrong way on public streets. Prosecutors say the couple had been warned repeatedly about their son\u2019s alleged reckless driving, and the boy\u2019s previous e-motorcycle had been impounded and sold.<\/p>\n
\u2014 The father of a 13-year-old who allegedly led Garden Grove police on a pursuit on his e-motorcycle that ended when he crashed into a police vehicle.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t want to have to prosecute parents \u2013 we want to save kids\u2019 lives,\u201d Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. \u201cWhen parents refuse to parent and tell their kids \u2018no\u2019 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
A series of high-profile crashes tied to juveniles using e-bikes or e-motorcycles amid the increasing popularity of the vehicles has brought intense scrutiny across Southern California.<\/p>\n
Law enforcement officials have described e-bikes and e-motorcycles as the number one reason local children end up in emergency rooms and a public health crisis.<\/p>\n
The public outcry led Orange County DA Todd Spitzer earlier this year to create the RIDE SAFELY \u2014 Smart Accountability for E-Bikes and E-Motos and Law Enforcement for Youth \u2014 unit<\/a>, which operates within the District Attorney\u2019s Office\u2019s Family Protection Division.<\/p>\n \u201cKids are getting seriously injured and killed and I refuse to allow another child to be hurt or killed because I didn\u2019t do everything I could to send a message that these vehicles are not child\u2019s play,\u201d Spitzer said. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to hand the keys to a deadly weapon to your child, then be prepared to face the consequences of your actions.\u201d<\/p>\n In consolidating the cases within one unit, Spitzer explained that he wanted his office to be consistent when it came to charging decisions and sentencing recommendations.<\/p>\n Prosecutors less than two months after the creation of that unit confirmed that they were overseeing more than two dozen open investigations<\/a> into parents of children suspected of illegally riding e-bikes or e-motorcycles.<\/p>\n Prosecutors have previously announced charges against six other parents.<\/p>\n