A mother in California has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran died following a collision with an e-motorcycle ridden by her 14-year-old son.
Incident Details
Ed Ashman, a substitute teacher, was walking home from El Toro High School in Lake Forest when he was struck by the e-motorcycle. Witnesses reported that the teenager was performing wheelies outside the school before the crash. The boy fled the scene before authorities arrived. Mr Ashman suffered critical injuries and died on April 30, approximately two weeks after the incident.
Prosecution's Statement
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated: "This mother essentially handed her 14-year-old son a deadly weapon, and despite multiple warnings of the dangers, continued to let him illegally ride an e-motorcycle until he finally killed someone." Prosecutors allege that Mejer was previously warned not to allow her son to ride the e-motorcycle illegally.
Body camera footage shows Mejer telling police hours after the crash that neither she nor her son owned or had access to a Surron e-motorcycle, according to reports.
Spitzer added: "An American hero who survived flying combat missions in Vietnam could not survive walking across the street in Lake Forest because of a 14-year-old child who was allowed to ride an e-motorcycle that he should have never been riding."
Charges and Potential Sentence
Initially, Mejer faced charges including child endangerment, accessory after the fact, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, loaning a vehicle to an unlicensed driver, and providing false information. These were later upgraded to include involuntary manslaughter. If convicted on all counts, she faces up to seven years and eight months in state prison.
Victim's Legacy
A GoFundMe campaign was established to cover Mr Ashman's medical and funeral expenses. He is remembered for his service as a jet pilot in the military and described as a devoted husband, father of three, and proud grandfather.
