Orange County Mother Charged After 81-Year-Old Man Dies Following E-Motorcycle Incident
An Orange County mother has been charged with involuntary manslaughter following the death of 81-year-old Ed Ashman, who suffered critical injuries after being struck by an electric motorcycle on May 1, 2023.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, Ashman died on May 15, weeks after a 14-year-old boy allegedly hit him while performing wheelies near a high school. Ashman, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and substitute teacher, was walking home at the time of the incident.
The boy’s mother, Tommi Jo Mejer, 50, of Aliso Viejo, was initially arrested shortly after the accident on charges including child endangerment and providing false information to law enforcement. Following Ashman’s death, prosecutors added the involuntary manslaughter charge, which could lead to up to seven years and eight months in prison if Mejer is convicted on all counts.
Authorities previously warned Mejer about the legal risks of allowing her son to operate the electric motorcycle, a 2025 Surron Ultra Bee, which can reach speeds of 56 mph. The law requires riders to be at least 16 years old and possess a motorcycle license to operate such vehicles.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced a commitment to prosecute parents who permit their children to ride e-motorcycles illegally, referring to the devices as “loaded weapons.” Mejer is the third parent charged this year in connection with similar incidents.
The investigation is ongoing, and further updates are expected as the legal proceedings unfold.