The parents of an Orange County teen who authorities said had been repeatedly injured in electric motorcycle incidents before dying in a May crash have been charged in his death.
Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer announced charges Tuesday for Santa Ana residents Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, and his wife, Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49. Their 13-year-old son, Benson, died this spring after hitting a pole in Garden Grove while traveling more than 40 mph, Spitzer’s office said.
V.T. Nguyen was charged with one felony count of child endangerment and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor while his wife was charged with one count of misdemeanor child endangerment.
V.T. Nguyen could serve up to six years in state prison if convicted on all counts; H.C.T. Nguyen faces up to a year in county jail if convicted.
The Times was unable to determine whether an attorney was representing the Nguyens. They’re scheduled for arraignment on Nov. 12.
Benson’s death has similarities to other e-bicycle and e-motorcycle incidents, including two deaths in Huntington Beach — that of a 62-year-old Westminster woman on Saturday and a 21-year-old man in July.
E-bike and e-motorcycle injuries are now the No. 1 reason children in Orange County end up in the emergency room, according to Spitzer, with injuries skyrocketing more than 430% in Southern California in just the last four years.
Punishments for parents are not unheard of, particularly in Orange County.
Aliso Viejo mother Tommi Jo Mejer was charged with felony child endangerment in April after her 14-year-old son was involved in an e-motorcycle crash that critically injured an 81-year-old former Marine.
Initial reports stated that Benson was riding about 35 mph on an e-motorcycle in the area of Magnolia Street and Larson Avenue when he struck the median near a bend in the street and lost control of his vehicle.
Spitzer said Benson was wearing a monitoring app that showed he was riding his E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 E-Moto at 43 mph at the time of impact.
Unlike an e-bicycle, the e-motorcycle requires a valid motorcycle license to use on the street, including a DMV registration, a license plate, insurance and full motorcycle equipment.
An e-motorcycle can be driven without a license if operated on private property or in off-road-vehicle areas.
TikTok videos posted by Benson showed the youngster performing tricks outside a Hilton hotel plaza and in the middle of a residential street.
“The loss of a child is a price no parent should pay, and we mourn the tragic loss of Benson along with everyone who loved him,” Spitzer said in a statement. “But grief does not erase the decisions that were made by Benson’s parents to continue to allow their untrained and unlicensed 13-year-old to illegally ride an E-Moto after repeated warnings and repeated injuries and grief does not erase the need for accountability.”
Spitzer said it was necessary to charge the parents, particularly the father, who he believed failed to protect his son. He noted that the father received multiple warnings about his son’s “reckless riding,” which led to repeated injuries.
Spitzer noted that Benson had broken his leg only six months earlier.
In another post, Benson appeared to crash his bike either on or near a beach.
Despite the danger, the parents still purchased Benson a “faster and more powerful E-Moto,” the district attorney said.
“When parents refuse to hold their children accountable and that refusal to parent results in unspeakable tragedy,” Spitzer said, “then I have no choice but to hold parents accountable.”
