OC father faces youngster endangerment fees after teen's 60 mph e-bike crash: DA

The Orange County district legal professional is sending a warning to folks after submitting legal fees in opposition to the daddy of a teen who was concerned in a crash whereas using an e-bike.

Whereas e-bikes are rising in popularity with teenagers, police say many dad and mom don’t notice how highly effective a few of these bikes might be or the dangers after they’re modified or used improperly.

Video from the Irvine Police Division reveals how shortly an e-bike journey can flip harmful. In a number of incidents shared by the division, riders lose management, crash, or slam into automobiles.

Now the rising concern is on the middle of a legal case filed by the Orange County district legal professional.

“The daddy has been charged with serving to his son modify an ebike into an e-motorcycle by altering the pedals to motorbike pegs after which additionally eradicating the governor on the bike, which limits the velocity of it to twenty mph, and rewiring it in order that it may very well be pushed as much as 60 mph,” stated Kimberly Edds, director of public affairs for the Orange County District Legal professional’s Workplace.

Edds stated Richard John Eyssallene of Yorba Linda faces felony youngster endangerment and youngster abuse fees, together with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

She stated his 12-year-old son was critically injured final 12 months after working a crimson mild and crashing right into a automobile on Through Lomas de Yorba West and La Palma Avenue.

“He was sporting a helmet however suffered inside cranial bleeding, he suffered a fractured femur, a fractured wrist and several other different accidents,” Edds stated.

Edds stated the teenager acquired the bike as a Christmas present the 12 months earlier than the crash and had already been cited as soon as for using the modified e-motorcycle illegally.

The teenager additionally attended an e-bike security seminar together with his dad and youthful brother earlier than the crash.

“I don’t suppose we needs to be placing our youngster in a scenario the place they’re using a car that’s able to going 60 miles an hour,” Edds stated.

However police say the issue extends past this case.

In Newport Seaside, officers performed a focused enforcement operation round faculties final month. In a single day, they stopped 46 e-bike riders, issued 37 administrative citations, 14 car code citations and 12 warnings. Additionally they impounded three e-bikes and arrested two teenagers on electrical bikes who tried to evade officers.

Medical doctors say they’re seeing the affect as effectively.

In response to the Kids’s Hospital of Orange County, medical doctors handled 201 e-bike trauma sufferers final 12 months, up from 125 the 12 months prior.

In response, police departments throughout the county are holding security seminars for e-bike riders and their dad and mom.

“A part of our coaching just isn’t solely doing the sensible workouts and the hands-on coaching, however we additionally go into and truly exhibiting a few of the ads of a few of the well-known producers which can be promoting these bikes on-line and exhibiting them what the distinction is and actually opening their eyes to what an precise authorized versus unlawful gadget is,” stated Mike Thomas, a sergeant with the Huntington Seaside Police Division.

However for now, prosecutors say the Yorba Linda case is supposed to ship a transparent message to folks.

“Should you fail to comply with these legal guidelines, you as a mother or father are going to be held accountable,” Edds stated.

The Yorba Linda father charged by the district legal professional’s workplace appeared in court docket Tuesday and pleaded not responsible to the costs. He faces as much as six years in jail if discovered responsible. 

As for e-bike security seminars, Huntington Seaside and most departments in Orange County supply them. 

Residents can contact their native police division for extra data.