Mom charged after teen's e-motorcycle kills Vietnam vet in Orange County

An 81-year-old Vietnam veteran and substitute teacher died after being hit by a 14-year-old boy on an e-motorcycle in Lake Forest, California. The teen's mother, Tommi Jo Mejer, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

- Ed Ashman, a Marine Corps captain and Vietnam combat pilot, was walking home from El Toro High School when struck. - The boy was allegedly doing wheelies on a Surron Ultra Bee e-motorcycle, which can reach 58 mph and is classified as a motorcycle under California law.

- Mejer had been warned by deputies in June 2025 about allowing her son to ride illegally but continued to let him. - She faces up to seven years and eight months in prison; arraignment is set for May 21.

The case highlights the dangers of unregulated e-motorcycles and parental responsibility.