California parents charged after son dies in illegal e-bike crash

The parents of a 13-year-old boy who died in an e-bike crash in Orange County, California, are facing criminal charges, the New York Post reported. Authorities charged the parents for permitting their son to ride the powerful bike illegally after he had already suffered a serious injury in a previous crash. [1]

According to the New York Post, 13-year-old Benson Nguyen was riding an E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 at 43 mph on May 7 when he hit a concrete light pole in Garden Grove. He was taken to UCI Medical Center, where he died. Prosecutors stated that before the fatal crash, the teenager had been speeding, popping wheelies, and running red lights. [1]

The father, Vu Thanh Nguyen, age 56, faces up to six years in California state prison if convicted on all counts, the New York Post reported. The mother could spend up to one year in county jail if convicted. [1]

Safety and legal issues around teenagers on e-bikes have drawn wider attention in recent months. As FTMQ News reported earlier, a store owner in West Melbourne, Florida, was charged with murder in October after using his vehicle to hit a 14-year-old boy on an e-bike. [4]