Ed Ashman, an 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran and a beloved substitute teacher, died on Thursday, two weeks after being hit by an e-motorcycle while walking home from work at El Toro High School in Lake Forest.
Prosecutors say the woman, identified as 50-year-old Tommi Jo Mejer, was warned about letting her 14-year-old son illegally ride the e-motorcycle before the crash.
"An American hero who survived flying combat missions in Vietnam could not survive walking across the street in Lake Forest because of a 14-year-old child who was allowed to ride an E-Motorcycle that he should have never been riding," said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer in a statement. "This mother essentially handed her 14-year-old son a deadly weapon, and despite multiple warnings of the dangers, continued to let him illegally ride an E-Motorcycle until he finally killed someone."
The crash happened on April 16. Investigators say Mejer's son was riding a Surron e-motorcycle, "doing wheelies" outside of El Toro High School, when he crashed into Ashman.
Mejer was previously 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.
The law says e-bikes manufactured to stay under 20 mph have no age or licensing restrictions, but those that have been modified or can reach higher speeds are considered e-motorcycles and require a motorcycle license, insurance and registration.
Investigators say Mejer was warned by sheriff's deputies about letting her son illegally ride the e-motorcycle in June of last year. The sheriff's department said deputies spent nearly 30 minutes explaining to her that her son could not legally ride the e-motorcycle, and that she would face criminal charges if she continued to let him.
"We have her on body-worn camera talking about and understanding the dangers and the illegality of this particular vehicle," Spitzer said.
Mejer marks the third parent in Orange County this year alone charged with illegally allowing their child to ride an e-motorcycle.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help support Ashman's family.