Mother Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter After Son's E-Motorcycle Kills Veteran Teacher

Key facts

• Ed Ashman, 81, a retired Marine Corps captain and substitute teacher, died after being struck by a Surron Ultra Bee e-motorcycle on April 16 in Lake Forest, California.
• The 14-year-old rider was performing wheelies when he hit Ashman and fled the scene.
• Tommi Jo Mejer, 50, the rider's mother, was arrested on April 21 and initially charged with felony child endangerment and accessory after the fact.
• Following Ashman's death on May 1, prosecutors upgraded charges to include involuntary manslaughter.
• Mejer faces additional counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, providing false information to a peace officer, and permitting an unlicensed minor to drive.
• In June 2025, Orange County Sheriff's deputies warned Mejer that allowing her son to ride the e-motorcycle could lead to criminal charges.
• The Surron e-motorcycle can reach speeds of 58 mph and requires riders to be at least 16 with a motorcycle license.
• Mejer initially told investigators that neither she nor her son owned or had access to a Surron.

A Fatal Collision After a Wheelie

On April 16, near the intersection of Toledo Way and Ridge Route Drive in Lake Forest, a 14-year-old boy riding a Surron Ultra Bee e-motorcycle struck Ed Ashman as the 81-year-old substitute teacher was walking home from work. The teenager was performing wheelies at the time, according to authorities. He fled the scene after the collision. Ashman, a retired Marine Corps captain who served in Vietnam, suffered critical injuries. He died two weeks later, on May 1, at a hospital. The Orange County District Attorney's Office confirmed his death and subsequently upgraded charges against the boy's mother.

Mother's Warnings and Lies

Tommi Jo Mejer, 50, had been warned by Orange County Sheriff's deputies in June 2025 about the dangers of allowing her son to ride the e-motorcycle. someone posting photos of her son riding, Mejer admitted she purchased the Surron and knew her son drove it recklessly. Deputies told her she could face criminal charges if she continued to let him ride illegally. Despite this warning, Mejer allegedly continued to let her son use the vehicle. Hours after the April 16 hit-and-run, she told investigators that neither she nor her son owned or had access to a Surron. That statement was false, prosecutors said.

Charges Escalate After Victim's Death

Mejer was arrested on April 21 and initially charged with felony counts of child endangerment and accessory after the fact to a crime. After Ashman died, the Orange County District Attorney's Office filed an amended complaint on May 2, adding a charge of involuntary manslaughter. She also faces misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and providing false information to a peace officer, as well as an infraction for permitting an unlicensed minor under 18 to drive a motor vehicle. District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement: "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. 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 E-Motorcycle and Legal Requirements

The Surron Ultra Bee e-motorcycle involved in the crash is a high-powered electric vehicle capable of reaching speeds of 58 miles per hour. Under California law, riders must be at least 16 years old and possess a valid motorcycle license to operate such a vehicle. The bike was also required to have registration and insurance, none of which the 14-year-old had, authorities said. Prosecutors have not yet specified whether the teenager's charges will be upgraded following Ashman's death. The district attorney's office has emphasized its commitment to holding parents accountable for allowing minors to operate illegal vehicles.

A Community Mourns a Veteran Educator

Ed Ashman was a beloved substitute teacher at El Toro High School, located near the crash site. He was a retired Marine Corps captain who flew combat missions in Vietnam. Colleagues and students described him as dedicated and kind. The Lake Forest community has held vigils and expressed outrage over the circumstances of his death. Ashman's death has reignited debates about the regulation of e-motorcycles and parental responsibility. The case highlights the dangers of allowing underage riders to operate vehicles that exceed legal limits for their age group.

What Comes Next

Mejer is currently in custody and awaiting trial. Her next court appearance has not been publicly scheduled. The Orange County District Attorney's Office continues to investigate, and the possibility of additional charges against the teenager remains open. District Attorney Spitzer has vowed to pursue the case vigorously, signaling that the outcome could set a precedent for how parents are held liable when their children commit crimes with vehicles they provided.

The bottom line

• A 14-year-old riding an illegal e-motorcycle struck and killed 81-year-old Ed Ashman, a retired Marine and substitute teacher, in a hit-and-run.
• The boy's mother, Tommi Jo Mejer, faces involuntary manslaughter and other charges after ignoring police warnings and lying to investigators.
• Mejer was warned by deputies in June 2025 that allowing her son to ride the Surron e-motorcycle could lead to criminal charges.
• The Surron Ultra Bee can reach 58 mph and requires riders to be at least 16 with a license, registration, and insurance.
• Authorities have not yet decided whether to upgrade charges against the teenager following Ashman's death.
• The case underscores the legal and moral responsibilities of parents in supervising minors' use of high-powered vehicles.