81-Year-Old Veteran and Teacher Loses Life After Being Struck by Teen on Electric Motorcycle
Charges Upgraded Against Mother After Death of Veteran Struck by Teen on E-Motorcycle
An 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran, Ed Ashman, succumbed to injuries sustained when he was struck by a teenager riding an E-motorcycle, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office confirmed on Friday. Ashman died Thursday afternoon following the incident that occurred on April 16 in Lake Forest as he walked home from his position as a substitute teacher at El Toro High School.
The collision took place at the intersection of Toledo Way and Ridge Route Drive. Ashman’s tragic passing prompted prosecutors to upgrade charges against the teenager’s mother, Tommi Jo Mejer, 50, from Aliso Viejo, to include involuntary manslaughter, in addition to existing charges of felony child endangerment, felony accessory after the fact, misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and providing false information to law enforcement. Mejer also faces an infraction for permitting an unlicensed minor under 18 to operate a vehicle.
Authorities reported that Ashman was critically injured when struck by Surron E-motorcycle rider, Mejer’s 14-year-old son, who fled the scene but was later arrested following the execution of a search warrant at his home.
In June 2022, Mejer contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to report someone posting images of her son riding the E-motorcycle. Body-worn camera footage from deputies revealed that they warned her about potential legal consequences if her son continued to ride the vehicle.
Under California law, riders of Class 3 E-motorcycles must be at least 16 years old and possess a motorcycle license, along with DMW registration, a license plate, insurance, and full motorcycle gear. Without meeting these requirements, these vehicles may only be operated on private property or designated Off-Highway Vehicle areas.
Mejer was arrested on April 21 and now faces a maximum sentence of six years in state prison if convicted on all charges. It remains unclear whether she has legal representation.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer commented on the incident, stating, “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.” He emphasized the responsibility of parents, saying, “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.”
Since January, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office has charged three parents with child endangerment for allowing their children to illegally operate E-motorcycles. One such case involved a Yorba Linda man whose 12-year-old son was critically injured after running a red light and being struck by a vehicle. That particular E-motorcycle had been modified to reach speeds of 60 mph.
