The parents of a 13-year-old boy killed in a high-speed electric motorcycle crash are facing criminal charges after prosecutors alleged they allowed him to ride a powerful vehicle he was too young to legally operate.
Benson Nguyen, of Santa Ana, California, died on May 7 after crashing an E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 electric motorcycle in Garden Grove.
His father could face years behind bars, while prosecutors accuse both parents of negligently permitting their son to use a machine that California law prohibits him from operating at his age.
The deadly crash occurred late in the evening on Magnolia Street. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said Benson was traveling at about 35 mph when the motorcycle struck a raised median divider.
The collision allegedly threw the teenager from the motorcycle and into a concrete light pole.
Emergency responders took him to UC Irvine Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 is far more powerful than a conventional bicycle. The electric motorcycle costs more than $4,000 and can reach speeds of at least 55 mph.
Prosecutors say it does not have a pedal-assist system and is legally classified as a motorcycle in California.
The parents of 13-year-old Benson Nguyen (pictured), who died in a high-speed electric motorcycle crash, are facing criminal charges in a case prosecutors say highlights the dangers of young riders using powerful electric motorcycles in California
Benson’s father, Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, is charged with felony child endangerment and misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor. His mother, Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49, faces a misdemeanor child-endangerment charge. If convicted on every count, the father could receive up to six years in state prison
Prosecutors allege Benson frequently posted videos of himself riding the electric motorcycle on social media, including footage showing him performing wheelies. The district attorney’s office also claims his parents allowed him to keep riding despite repeated warnings and earlier injuries.
Under the requirements cited by the district attorney’s office, riders must be at least 16 years old and possess a valid motorcycle license. Benson was only 13.
His mother, Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49, was charged with misdemeanor child endangerment on Tuesday, October 20. His father, Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, faces felony child endangerment and a separate misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
A conviction on all charges could send Benson’s father to state prison for up to six years. Prosecutors, however, contend that the crash followed a series of warnings.
The district attorney’s office alleges that Benson repeatedly displayed risky riding behavior online, including videos of himself carrying out wheelies on the electric motorcycle.
Officials further allege that his parents permitted him to continue riding despite being warned multiple times and despite previous injuries.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer has made combating dangerous use of electric bikes and motorcycles a priority. Announcing the charges, he issued a direct warning about parental responsibility.
Spitzer said the family’s grief did not negate the decisions prosecutors say Benson’s parents made or eliminate the need for accountability.
‘Grief does not erase the decisions that were made by Benson’s parents to continue to allow their untrained and unlicensed 13-year-old to illegally ride an E-Moto after repeated warnings and repeated injuries,’ he said.
He added that, while the loss was deeply painful, grief did not remove the need to hold those allegedly responsible accountable.
Announcing the charges, Spitzer said the family’s grief did not erase the alleged decisions that allowed Benson to continue riding
The crackdown comes amid growing concern over the popularity of powerful electric two-wheelers among children and teenagers. Some models resemble bicycles but can reach motorcycle-like speeds
The case is the latest in Spitzer’s frontline campaign to hold parents criminally responsible when they allegedly allow underage children to ride powerful electric vehicles illegally.
In March, another Orange County father was hit with a felony charge after his 12-year-old son suffered a fractured skull in a crash involving an electric motorcycle reportedly travelling at 60mph in Yorba Linda.
Then, in May, Spitzer’s office launched its RIDE SAFELY task force, targeting dangerous e-bike and e-motorcycle incidents and investigating parents suspected of knowingly allowing unlawful or unsafe riding.
The crackdown comes as increasingly powerful electric two-wheelers become a familiar sight among children and teenagers.
Some look like bicycles but deliver the speed and acceleration of motorcycles, leaving parents facing difficult questions about what their children are riding – and whether they understand the rules.
The injury figures are also raising alarm.
Earlier this month, researchers at the Jackie and Gene Autry Orthopedic Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles reported a staggering 675 per cent increase in injuries among children and young adults involving e-bikes, electric motorcycles and e-scooters over five years.
The findings add to growing concerns about young, inexperienced riders operating machines capable of reaching speeds that leave little room for error.
For Benson’s family, the criminal case follows an unimaginable loss and for prosecutors, it is part of a broader effort to stop other families from experiencing the same tragedy.
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