OC's E-Moto crackdown widens: six more parents charged, 12 since January

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer is widening his crackdown on kids riding illegal E-Motos. On Oct. 21, his office announced charges against six more parents, plus one adult relative, who prosecutors say let children ride the electric motorcycles on public streets.

Five parents are charged with misdemeanor child endangerment, which carries up to a year in county jail if they are convicted. One mother faces a felony count with up to six years in prison. The DA's office says it has now charged 12 parents since January, and FOX 11 reports that about 50 more cases are under investigation.

The new cases, according to prosecutors

Yorba Linda: An 11-year-old allegedly collided with a pickup truck while riding an E-Moto and suffered broken bones and an arterial bleed. His father is charged with misdemeanor child endangerment.

Yorba Linda: A 9-year-old was allegedly speeding on an E-Moto capable of more than 47 mph when a pickup truck hit him. Prosecutors say the boy's Instagram showed him doing wheelies on residential streets and an earlier crash. His mother is charged with felony child endangerment.

Orange: A father allegedly let his 12-year-old ride on city streets even though police had already warned both of them that it was illegal. He is charged with misdemeanor child endangerment and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Newport Beach: Both parents of a 17-year-old are charged. Prosecutors say the teen had two prior run-ins with police on E-Motos and multiple impounds before he led officers on a pursuit at more than 40 mph, riding on sidewalks near pedestrians and against traffic.

Garden Grove: A 13-year-old allegedly ran red lights and rode into oncoming traffic during a police chase that ended when he crashed into a police vehicle. His father is charged.

La Palma: A 33-year-old man is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Prosecutors say he let his 15-year-old brother ride his E-Moto, and the teen led police on a chase through red lights that ended in bushes.

Why parents are being charged

Spitzer has said parents are not charged just for giving a child an E-bike or E-Moto. In an interview on LAist's AirTalk, he said his office files charges "when the adult who's responsible for the actions of that child has additional special knowledge" that the child is a danger, such as a history of reckless riding.

"We don't want to have to prosecute parents -- we want to save kids' lives," Spitzer said, according to ABC News. His office's message on the new filings: these vehicles are not child's play.

Background

The announcement came a day after the DA charged the parents of a 13-year-old boy who died in May after crashing his E-Moto on Magnolia Street in Garden Grove. Prosecutors say he was going more than 40 mph when he hit a center divider and then a concrete light pole. His father faces a felony child endangerment count with up to six years in state prison, and his mother faces a misdemeanor count.

Spitzer launched a dedicated prosecution unit, RIDE SAFELY, in May to review criminal cases involving kids on illegal E-bikes and E-Motos and the adults who allow it. The DA's office says injuries tied to the vehicles have risen more than 400% in Southern California over the past four years.

Under California law, minors under 16 cannot legally ride E-Motos on public roads, according to FOX 11. ABC News, citing state crash data, reports that kids ages 11 to 14 account for 61.7% of E-Moto crashes.

What’s next

LAist reported that the parents in the fatal Garden Grove crash were scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 12. Court dates for the six newly charged parents and the La Palma case have not been announced.