Seal Beach to hold emergency meeting to address e-bike crashes
SEAL BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- City leaders and residents in Seal Beach will hold an emergency meeting Tuesday to tackle incidents involving e-bicycles that have led to serious injuries and even deaths in Orange County.
The O.C. District Attorney's Office, Seal Beach Police Department and other community leaders are expected to address the dangers of e-bikes with a goal of finding ways to solve the problem. The meeting is scheduled for noon at the Old Ranch Country Club.
Earlier this year, District Attorney Todd Spitzer launched a new prosecution unit called RIDE SAFELY. The goal is to create accountability for kids and adults who ride e-bikes and e-motorcycles, but it also goes after those who break the law while riding one of the popular 2-wheelers.
The program will review all potential criminal charges, including for parents who let their children ride illegal e-motorcycles.
This all comes after a rise in crashes, injuries and even deaths related to e-bicycles.
A 72-year-old Seal Beach woman was seriously injured after she was struck by a teenager riding an e-motorcycle earlier this year.
Stephanie Potter spent two weeks in the ICU followed by four weeks at a rehabilitation facility. Four months after the crash, she remains in recovery.
Potter is now urging greater safety and accountability surrounding e-bikes and e-motorcycles.
"I don't know how I survived because I had some pretty extensive injuries," she said. "The problem is that kids... they're not educated on the subject. They believe it's a bicycle with power and that they can ride down the street."
During Potter's recovery, 81-year-old Ed Ashman was also struck by a teen riding an e-motorcycle in Lake Forest and later died from his injuries.
In that case, the D.A.'s office filed charges against the teen's mother, including involuntary manslaughter, for allegedly letting her 14-year-old son ride an e-motorcycle despite being warned of its dangers multiple times.
