Update: Lake Forest Mother Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter After her 14 Year Old Son Riding E-Motorcycle hits and Kills 81 Year Old Pedestrian.
On April 16, 2026, Tommi Jo Mejer’s 14-year old son was allegedly recklessly riding an e-motorcycle while doing “wheelies” near El Toro High School when he hit a pedestrian identified as 81-year old Ed Ashman, a substitute teacher at El Toro High School. Ms. Mejer’s minor son fled the scene of the accident. Mr. Ashman was left at the scene in critical condition. When questioned by authorities investigating the accident, Ms. Mejer denied owning and having access to the e-motorcycle.
Ms. Mejer was initially charged with one felony count of child endangerment, one felony count of accessory after the fact to a crime, one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, one misdemeanor count of loaning a motor vehicle to an unlicensed driver, and one misdemeanor count of providing false information to a peace officer. Sadly, Mr. Ashman passed away two weeks later due to injuries he sustained in the accident. As a result, the District Attorney’s office upgraded the charges against Ms. Mejer in an amended complaint. Ms. Mejer’s charges were upgraded to include all the initial charges plus one felony count of involuntary manslaughter. If Ms. Mejer is convicted on all counts, she could face a maximum sentence of seven years and eight months in state prison.
This recent accident involving Ms. Mejer’s 14-year old son and the now deceased Mr. Ashman was not Ms. Mejer’s first run-in with the police regarding her son’s e-motorcycle. In fact, just last summer in June of 2025, Ms. Mejer called the police to complain that someone was taking pictures of her minor son riding an e-motorcycle. In response to her call, deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department arrived at her home to discuss her son’s e-motorcycle. Ms. Mejer had a lengthy discussion with the deputies who explained to her for nearly half an hour that her son was not legally allowed to ride the e-motorcycle. The deputies explicitly warned her that she could face criminal charges if she continued to allow him to ride it. Ironically, nearly a year later, Ms. Mejer is in fact facing criminal charges for her son’s use of the e-motorcycle.
In fact, the e-motorcycle Ms. Mejer’s son was allegedly riding is a 2025 Surron Ultra Bee. In order to ride this particular e-motorcycle, Ms. Mejer’s 14-year old son would have needed a motorcycle license, insurance, license plate, and registration in order to ride the e-motorcycle on a public street. Ms. Mejer’s minor son did not have a license, insurance, license plate, or registration because he was not even old enough to apply for a learner’s permit. The e-motorcycle can reach speeds of up to 58 mph and can go from 1 to 31 mph in 2.3 seconds. In contrast, Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes have no minimum age for riders and can go up to 20 mph -less than half of the Surron Ultra Bee Ms. Mejer’s son was riding. The only requirement for Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes is that riders under 18 years of age must wear a helmet. Likewise, Class 3 e-bikes, which can go up to 28 mph, require riders to be at least 16 years of age and to wear helmets regardless of age. Any two-wheeled vehicle that can exceed the power or speed limits of these e-bikes (i.e. any that cannot be classified as a Class 1, 2, or 3 e-bike) is classified as an e-motorcycle and requires a motorcycle license and registration.
Ms. Mejer made her first appearance in criminal court on May 12, 2026. Her arraignment has been continued to June 30, 2026.