Crime & Safety

13-Year-Old Boy Who Died On E-Motorcycle Remembered For 'Happy Energy': Report

Friends and classmates of the teenage Santa Ana boy gathered in Garden Grove this past weekend to honor his memory.

GARDEN GROVE, CA — A group of teens gathered in Garden Grove this past weekend to honor the memory of a 13-year-old boy who died while riding his e-bike in the city on Thursday, May 7.

The crash happened at around 9:50 p.m. Thursday in the area of Magnolia Street and Larson Avenue in the City of Garden Grove, according to the Garden Grove Police Department.

The child, only identified as a resident of Santa Ana, was being loaded into an ambulance when officers got to the scene.

Find out what's happening in Orange Countyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

His riding buddies received notification of the crash through a GPS location-sharing app, according to The Orange County Register.

"The juvenile was unconscious and was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries," according to a GGPD news release. "Despite lifesaving efforts, he was later pronounced deceased."

Find out what's happening in Orange Countyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The Garden Grove Police Department Neighborhood Traffic Unit determined the teen was riding in the No. 1 lane of Magnolia Street, traveling about 35 mph, police said.

"For unknown reasons, the rider collided with the center median, causing him to lose control of the electric motorcycle," police stated.

The boy was ejected and suffered fatal injuries.

According to the newspaper, a group of teenagers who knew the 13-year-old gathered at the site of the crash this past weekend.

They lit firecrackers and spray-painted messages like "forever 13," according to the newspaper.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has video of the wreck was urged to contact the investigator handling the case at 714-741-5823 or mlang@ggcity.org.

The fatal e-motorcycle crash is the latest to happen in Orange County, following reports of a teenage boy riding an illegal high-powered e-motorcycle in Lake Forest who ran down a Vietnam War veteran while practicing wheelies.

The teen was later arrested, and his mother — an Tommi Jo Mejer of Aliso Viejo — faces felony counts of involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and accessory after the fact to a crime, along with misdemeanor counts of contributing the delinquency of a minor and providing false information to a peace officer.

She also faces an infraction for permitting an unlicensed minor under the age of 18 to drive a motor vehicle.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.