An 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran, Ed Ashman, is in critical condition after being struck by an electric motorcycle outside a high school where he was working as a substitute teacher. Orange County prosecutors say the rider was a 14-year-old student, and authorities have charged the boy’s mother, 50-year-old Tommi Jo Mejer, with felony child endangerment and providing a motor vehicle to an unlicensed minor.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer told reporters that deputies conducted a 23-minute interview with Mejer last year during which officers warned her the e-motorcycle — reportedly capable of reaching about 60 mph — was illegal for her underage son to operate. Prosecutors say they have evidence Mejer was advised of the legal risks and subsequently supplied the boy with another motorcycle, conduct the DA described as foreseeable and a likely consequence of ignoring the warning. Spitzer framed the prosecution as a test case meant to remind parents they can be held accountable for children’s illegal actions.
Mejer faces counts that, if resulting in conviction, could carry up to six years in prison. Spitzer also urged parents to set and enforce safety rules, saying lapses can create lasting harm for children, their families, and victims. CBS News reached out to Mejer and her attorney but received no response. Ashman remains hospitalized in critical condition as the investigation and legal proceedings continue.