Prosecutors Target Moms, Dads — E‑Bike Crackdown

California prosecutors are now threatening parents with jail time over their kids’ illegal e-bike and e-motorcycle rides, turning a safety push into a new front in the fight over government overreach and parental rights.

Story Snapshot

Orange County created a special prosecution unit to target illegal youth e-bike and e-motorcycle riding, including parents.
At least three parents already face criminal charges, from child endangerment to involuntary manslaughter, after severe crashes.
Prosecutors say parents who allow or help modify high-powered e-motorcycles are “handing their children a loaded weapon.”
Conservatives worry this campaign criminalizes parenting and expands state power instead of simply enforcing basic traffic laws.

California Moves From Traffic Tickets to Criminal Cases Against Parents

Orange County prosecutors have launched a new unit called RIDE SAFELY to crack down on illegal e-bikes and e-motorcycles ridden by minors. The unit does not just look at kids who break traffic laws. It also reviews possible criminal charges against parents who let children ride powerful electric machines that do not meet legal rules. Officials say they already have 26 open investigations into parents whose kids are suspected of illegal riding, a major shift from simple tickets to potential criminal records.

Local reporting says there are already four active criminal cases in Orange County tied to children on e-motorcycles. These include charges against mothers and fathers, not just the teen riders themselves. Prosecutors argue that parents who buy high-powered e-motorcycles, ignore warnings, or allow illegal modifications are responsible when tragedy follows. That approach reflects a wider California trend: using child endangerment laws to police new vehicles instead of updating traffic rules first.

Real Cases: From Fatal Crash to 60‑mph “Kid Bike” Modifications

One headline case involves Aliso Viejo mother Tommi Jo Mejer, whose 14-year-old son allegedly hit and later killed an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran while riding an illegal e-motorcycle in Lake Forest. Prosecutors say officers had warned her that her son could not legally ride the high-powered Surron Ultra Bee and that she could face charges if she kept allowing it. After the victim died, Mejer was charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment, and accessory after the fact, facing years in state prison.

Another case centers on Yorba Linda father Richard John Eyssallenne, accused of helping his 12-year-old son modify an e-bike into a high-speed e-motorcycle. Officials say they removed the pedals, added motorcycle pegs, and rewired the bike to reach about 60 miles per hour, far beyond normal limits. The boy allegedly ran a red light and was critically injured after being hit by a car, leading to felony child endangerment and abuse charges for the father and a possible six-year prison sentence if convicted.

Contra Costa and Statewide Warnings: Parents Put “On Notice”

This parent-liability push is not limited to Orange County. In Contra Costa County, prosecutors charged Benicia parents Steven Leroy Crews and Jeanna Marie Gabellini with misdemeanor child abuse after their unlicensed child crashed a high-powered e-moto in Walnut Creek and was seriously hurt. Officials claim the parents repeatedly let the teen ride at unsafe speeds despite months of citations and police warnings, and that they “willfully” allowed the child to be placed in danger. The couple has pleaded not guilty and is fighting the charges in court.

California prosecutors and legal advisories now openly warn parents that they can face criminal charges under state child endangerment laws for unsafe youth e-bike use. Under Penal Code 273a, felony child endangerment can carry up to six years in prison when a parent’s choices place a child or the public at risk of death or serious injury. Guidance says parents may be liable if they provide unsuitable e-bikes, fail to enforce helmet rules, or allow illegal riding on streets or trails not meant for these devices.

Safety Concerns Collide With Parental Rights and Government Overreach

Prosecutors describe these high-powered electric motorcycles as “loaded weapons” in kids’ hands and say strong criminal enforcement is needed to stop growing injuries and deaths. Many parents agree that children should wear helmets, obey traffic laws, and never ride 60-mile-per-hour machines in busy streets. At the same time, conservative families see another pattern they know well from California: instead of fixing bad policy or enforcing clear rules, the state expands criminal liability and reaches deeper into the home.

Dozens of California parents may face criminal charges over kids' illegal e-bike rides https://t.co/Q835f85J7y pic.twitter.com/QMRCi0gGdu

— California Post (@californiapost) August 2, 2026

For conservatives, the core concern is simple. The state of California is turning normal parenting decisions and mistakes into potential felonies, while still failing to address bigger problems like crime, homelessness, and illegal immigration. President Trump’s administration cannot directly control local California prosecutors, but this wave of parent-targeted cases fits the same old blue-state model: more power for government, more fear for families, and more pressure on ordinary people who are already battling high prices, complex rules, and constant lectures from “experts.”