LATEST FLORES – The sky in Orange County, California, seems not as bright as usual. Not because it was cloudy or rainy, but because of the dark shadow of a tragedy that tarnished the meaning of responsibility. An 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran, who has dedicated his life to his country, is now fighting for his life in hospital. The cause? A 14-year-old teenager who drove wildly on an electric motorbike, and a mother who is now behind bars, are facing criminal charges. This story is not just an ordinary incident, but a reflection of how fragile supervision is and how fatal negligence can be.
On Thursday afternoon, April 16, 2026, at approximately 4:00 p.m., at the intersection of Toledo Way and Ridge Route Drive, near El Toro High School in Lake Forest, a horrific incident occurred. Ed Ashman, 81, a former captain in the United States Marine Corps who flew combat missions in Vietnam and now serves as a substitute teacher, was walking. The day was supposed to be normal, like any other day for Ashman, a figure known as a caring teacher in his community. However, fate said otherwise.
Fatal Accident and Teenager’s Escape
Suddenly, from an unexpected direction, a 14 year old boy sped away on his Surron Ultra Bee electric motorbike. The teenager, according to prosecutors, was doing “wheelies” or lifting the front wheel in the middle of the road, a dangerous stunt that is often misunderstood as a “style” by young people. In an instant, a collision was inevitable. Ed Ashman was blown away. His old body was unable to withstand the impact. He suffered critical injuries and was immediately rushed to hospital. Until now, he is still in intensive care in critical condition, struggling between life and death.
Instead of helping, the teenager ran away from the scene, as if a shadow disappeared in the crowd. However, traces of crime cannot simply be hidden. Thanks to the testimony of residents, the teenager was identified and arrested at his home in Lake Forest the next day. Details of his criminal case, given his status as a minor, are not widely publicized under California law. However, this story does not stop with the child. The focus of the investigation shifted to the figure who should be at the forefront in educating and supervising: the mother.
Mother was reminded, but ignored it
Tommi Jo Mejer, 50, the mother of the teenage hitman, must now face the consequences of her negligence. He was arrested on April 21 or 22, 2026 and charged with various serious charges. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer asserted that Mejer “refused to be a parent to his child” by allowing the use of the illegal electric motorbike.
What makes this case even sadder is the fact that Mejer was not an ignorant person. Months before this fatal accident, in June 2025, Mejer had interacted with Orange County Sheriff’s deputies. At that time, he complained about his neighbor who posted a photo of his son riding an e-motorcycle and stated that his son was “out of control.” The deputy then spent nearly 30 minutes explaining to him that the electric motorcycle he purchased for his son, the Surron Ultra Bee, was illegal for his underage son to ride on public roads. Mejer was even warned that he could face criminal charges if he continued to let his son drive the illegal vehicle.
“We captured him on body camera talking and understanding the dangers and illegality of this particular vehicle,” Spitzer said. After the accident, Mejer even initially denied his son’s ownership or access to the electric motorbike to deputies.
E-Motorcycle: Not Just a Toy
This incident once again highlights the dangers of high-speed e-motorcycles which are now widely used by underage children. The Surron Ultra Bee model used by Mejer’s son, according to prosecutors, was 16 times more powerful than a legal electric bicycle and capable of reaching speeds of up to 93 kilometers per hour (58 miles per hour). California law expressly states that to ride a Class 3 e-motorcycle, the rider must be at least 16 years old, have a motorcycle license, and the vehicle must be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and have insurance. Mejer’s son, only 14 years old, clearly violated all these requirements.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer takes cases like this very seriously. He stated that parents who buy their children e-motorcycles and let them ride them illegally, or help modify e-bikes into e-motorcycles, “are handing their children a loaded gun — and those parents will be prosecuted.” This is not a threat, he said, but rather a promise. Mejer is the third parent charged in Orange County this year in a similar case.
Tommi Jo Mejer is now charged with criminal charges of endangering a child (felony child endangerment), assisting a crime (felony accessory after the fact), as well as several misdemeanors such as contributing to the delinquency of a minor, lending a motor vehicle to a driver without a license, and providing false information to officers. If convicted on all charges, Mejer faces a maximum sentence of six years and eight months in state prison.
This tragedy is a painful reminder for all of us. Parental responsibility is the main foundation in forming the next generation. The slightest negligence, especially regarding safety and the law, can lead to devastating consequences, not only for oneself, but also for other innocent people. Ed Ashman is now fighting for his life, a stark reminder of the price of negligence.***
