Mother faces manslaughter charge after her teen son killed a veteran with his e-bike, police say

Published: 21:24, 3 May 2026 | Updated: 21:24, 3 May 2026 A California mother was hit with a manslaughter charge after her teenage son allegedly fatally struck an 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran while riding his e-motorcycle. Tommi Jo Mejer's, 50, charges were upgraded on Friday with an additional involuntary manslaughter offense after initially facing multiple misdemeanor charges and two felony charges, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office. The escalation by prosecutors follows the death of Ed Ashman on Thursday, a substitute teacher who was walking home from work when he was allegedly struck by Mejer's 14-year-old son, who was riding a Surron Ultra Bee electric motorcycle on April 16. The teen, who investigators believe was doing wheelies at the time of the incident, allegedly fled the scene before Orange County Sheriff's deputies discovered the retired US Marine Corps captain. Officials went to Mejer's home and questioned her about the incident, but she allegedly denied that either she or her son owned an e-bike. She was arrested on April 21 and initially faced felony counts of child endangerment and accessory after the fact to a crime. The Orange County mother was also hit with one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and an infraction for loaning a motor vehicle to an unlicensed driver, as well as providing false information to a peace officer. The DA's office noted that if convicted on all counts, Mejer can face seven years and eight months in state prison. Ed Ashman, 81, was a Vietnam War veteran that died on Thursday after being fatally struck by an e-motorcycle on April 16 while walking home from work The alleged driver of the e-motorcycle was Tommi Jo Mejer's, 50, 15-year-old son  Ashman worked as a substitute teacher and was described as 'center of a beautiful family,' who was a devoted husband, a father of three, and a proud grandfather,' a GoFundMe noted '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,' Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said 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 mother was allegedly told before the incident that her son was not legally allowed to ride the bike, after she contacted the police in 2025 to accuse someone of posting her son online riding the bike. Mejer 'admitted that she purchased her son a Surron e-motorcycle and knew that he drove it recklessly,' the district attorney's office said in a press release. According to Surron's website, the suspected bike involved in the incident can reach 56 mph and weighs 187lbs. E-motorcycle riders must be at least 16 years old and possess a motorcycle license in California. 'This is a tragedy for the family of Ed Ashman and for everyone who loved a man who committed himself to his country and his community, and it is a tragedy for our society that we have gotten to a point where parents are refusing to hold their children - and themselves - accountable for endangering the lives of other people,' Spitzer said. Mejer is the third parent Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer's office hit with charges this year for allegedly allowing their children to ride e-motorcycles illegally Riders of e-motorcycles must be at least 16 years old and possess a motorcycle license in California  'If parents aren't going to hold their children accountable, then I am going to hold parents accountable for hurting and killing innocent people while riding illegal motor vehicles.' Mejer is the third parent Spitzer’s office hit with charges this year for allegedly allowing their children to ride e-motorcycles illegally. A GoFundMe set up in efforts to help cover medical expenses and funeral costs described him as the 'center of a beautiful family.' 'He is a devoted husband, a father of three, and a proud grandfather,' the GoFundMe added. At the time of this report, the fundraiser has raised over $115,000. Mejer is scheduled to be arraigned on May 21 at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. 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