A 13-year-old California boy died after crashing an electric motorcycle capable of reaching 62 mph. Five months later, prosecutors have charged both of his parents with child endangerment.
The boy, Benson Nguyen, was riding through Garden Grove when he struck a raised median, was thrown from his motorcycle, and collided with a concrete light pole.
Police said Benson was wearing a helmet, but it was a bicycle helmet rather than one designed for motorcycle riding.
Prosecutors now say his father purchased the powerful electric motorcycle despite repeated warnings about his son’s reckless riding and previous injuries, including a broken leg just six months before the fatal crash.
A Late-Night Ride in Garden Grove
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On May 7, 2026, at approximately 9:50 p.m., the Garden Grove Police Department received an alert from the Life360 location-tracking service about a possible collision near Magnolia Street and Larson Avenue.
Officers arrived to find Benson unconscious and being loaded into an ambulance. He was transported to UCI Medical Center, where he died.
The department initially estimated that he had been traveling approximately 35 mph when his electric motorcycle struck the center median. He lost control and was ejected.
The investigation later established a more precise speed. According to an October 20 announcement from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Benson’s Life360 app recorded 43 mph when he lost control.
Prosecutors also say witnesses saw the teenager speeding, running red lights, and performing wheelies shortly before the collision.
One detail emerged in the original crash coverage that did not appear in the subsequent charging announcement. Garden Grove police told ABC7 Los Angeles that Benson had been wearing a conventional bicycle helmet rather than a motorcycle helmet.
The distinction matters because motorcycle helmets are designed and tested for different impact conditions than bicycle helmets. However, the available records do not establish whether a motorcycle helmet would have changed the outcome.
More Motorcycle Than Bicycle
The vehicle involved was an E-Ride Pro SS 2.0, a high-powered electric off-road motorcycle.
According to prosecutors, the motorcycle can reach 40 mph in Eco mode and 62 mph in Sport mode. It has no pedals and does not qualify as an ordinary electric bicycle under California law.
The DA’s office says the vehicle falls under California’s motor-driven cycle or motorcycle classifications, which require a valid motorcycle license, registration, a license plate, insurance, and appropriate motorcycle equipment for street operation.
Without meeting those requirements, the motorcycle could be operated only on private property or in properly registered off-highway vehicle areas.
Benson was 13 and did not have a motorcycle license.
Warnings Before the Crash
Prosecutors say Benson’s father, Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, of Santa Ana, purchased the E-Ride Pro despite multiple warnings about his son’s riding behavior.
The DA’s office says Benson had already suffered repeated injuries while riding a different electric vehicle, including a broken leg approximately six months before his death.
Investigators also identified videos Benson had posted to TikTok and Instagram showing him performing wheelies and leg switches on his electric motorcycle.
The prosecution alleges that his parents continued allowing him to ride despite the warnings, injuries, and legal restrictions.
Vu Nguyen has been charged with one felony count of child endangerment and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Benson’s mother, Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49, also of Santa Ana, faces one misdemeanor count of child endangerment.
If convicted on all charges, the father faces a maximum sentence of six years in state prison. The mother faces a maximum of one year in county jail.
The Charges Reach Beyond One Family
The prosecution is part of a broader Orange County effort targeting illegal electric motorcycle riding by minors.
In May, District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced the creation of the RIDE SAFELY unit, which reviews potential criminal charges involving young riders and adults who allow them to operate electric motorcycles illegally.
In a separate October 21 announcement, prosecutors disclosed charges against six additional parents, bringing the number charged since January to 12.
The newly announced cases include a nine-year-old riding a motorcycle capable of more than 47 mph who was struck by a pickup truck, and an 11-year-old who suffered broken bones and an arterial injury in another collision.
In a Newport Beach case, prosecutors allege that two parents continued allowing their teenage son to ride despite repeated police warnings and having electric motorcycles impounded on at least two occasions.
The DA’s office has also brought an involuntary manslaughter charge against another mother after her 14-year-old son struck and killed an 81-year-old man while riding an electric motorcycle in Lake Forest.
In announcing the charges against Benson’s parents, Spitzer acknowledged the family’s loss while arguing that previous warnings made accountability necessary.
“The loss of a child is a price no parent should pay,” Spitzer said.
The charges against Benson’s parents are being prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Noor Hasan of the RIDE SAFELY unit under case number 26WF4151.
All parties are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.