The parents of a 13-year-old boy who died in a high-speed electric motorcycle crash are facing criminal charges after prosecutors accused them of allowing their son to ride a powerful machine he was too young to legally operate.
asserted
he → die → machine
Benson Nguyen, from Santa Ana, California, died in May after crashing a powerful E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 electric motorcycle in Garden Grove.
uncertain
Nguyen → die → Grove
Now his father faces the prospect of years in prison, while prosecutors claim both negligent parents allowed their son to ride a machine he was legally too young to operate.
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he → face → machine
The fatal crash happened late one evening on Magnolia Street.
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crash → happen → Street
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Benson was travelling at around 35mph when his motorcycle struck a raised central divider.
uncertain
motorcycle → accord → divider
The impact allegedly hurled the teenager from the machine and into a concrete light pole.
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impact → hurl → pole
He was rushed to UC Irvine Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
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he → rush → Center
The motorcycle he was riding is no ordinary bicycle.
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he → rid → ?
The E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 costs more than $4,000 and can reach speeds of 55mph or more.
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SS → cost → mph
It has no pedal-assist system and is classified as a motorcycle under California law, according to prosecutors.
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It → have → prosecutors
The parents of 13-year-old Benson Nguyen (pictured) killed in a high-speed electric motorcycle crash are facing criminal charges in a case that has become the latest warning in California’s war on dangerous young riders
His father, Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, has been charged with felony child endangerment and a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
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father → picture → minor
His mother, Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49, faces a misdemeanor charge of child endangerment.
asserted
mother → face → endangerment
If convicted on all counts, Benson’s father faces up to six years in state prison
Prosecutors allege the teenager had regularly posted videos of himself riding the electric motorcycle on social media, including footage of him performing wheelies.
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him → convict → wheelies
The district attorney’s office also claims his parents allowed him to continue riding despite repeated warnings and previous injuries.
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him → claim → warnings
That means riders must be at least 16 and hold a valid motorcycle licence under the requirements cited by the district attorney’s office, yet Benson was just 13.
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Benson → mean → office
His mother, Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49, now faces a misdemeanor charge of child endangerment.
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mother → face → endangerment
His father, Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, has been charged with felony child endangerment and additional misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
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father → charge → minor
If convicted on all counts, his father faces up to six years in state prison.
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father → convict → prison
But prosecutors allege the tragedy did not come without warning.
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tragedy → allege → warning
The district attorney’s office claims Benson had repeatedly showcased his dangerous riding exploits on social media, including videos of himself performing wheelies on the electric motorcycle.
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himself → claim → motorcycle
Officials also allege his parents allowed him to continue riding despite repeated warnings and previous injuries.
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him → allege → warnings
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, who has delivered a crackdown on dangerous electric bike and motorcycle use a priority, delivered a blunt message as he announced the charges.
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he → deliver → charges
He said grief did not erase the decisions allegedly made by Benson’s parents or remove the need for accountability.
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grief → say → accountability
'Grief does not erase the decisions that were made by Benson’s parents to continue to allow their untrained and unlicensed 13-year-old to illegally ride an E-Moto after repeated warnings and repeated injuries,' he said.
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he → erase → warnings
He then reiterated that grief also did not remove the need for accountability.
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grief → reiterate → accountability
Announcing the charges, Spitzer said the family’s grief did not erase the alleged decisions that allowed Benson to continue riding
The crackdown comes amid growing concern over the popularity of powerful electric two-wheelers among children and teenagers.
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crackdown → announce → children
Some models resemble bicycles but can reach motorcycle-like speeds
The case is the latest in Spitzer’s frontline campaign to hold parents criminally responsible when they allegedly allow underage children to ride powerful electric vehicles illegally.
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children → resemble → vehicles
In March, another Orange County father was hit with a felony charge after his 12-year-old son suffered a fractured skull in a crash involving an electric motorcycle reportedly travelling at 60mph in Yorba Linda.
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son → hit → Linda
Then, in May, Spitzer’s office launched its RIDE SAFELY task force, targeting dangerous e-bike and e-motorcycle incidents and investigating parents suspected of knowingly allowing unlawful or unsafe riding.
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office → launch → riding
The crackdown comes as increasingly powerful electric two-wheelers become a familiar sight among children and teenagers.
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wheelers → come → children
Some look like bicycles but deliver the speed and acceleration of motorcycles, leaving parents facing difficult questions about what their children are riding - and whether they understand the rules.
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they → look → rules
The injury figures are also raising alarm.
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figures → raise → alarm
Earlier this month, researchers at the Jackie and Gene Autry Orthopedic Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles reported a staggering 675 per cent increase in injuries among children and young adults involving e-bikes, electric motorcycles and e-scooters over five years.
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researchers → report → years
The findings add to growing concerns about young, inexperienced riders operating machines capable of reaching speeds that leave little room for error.
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that → add → error
For Benson’s family, the criminal case follows an unimaginable loss and for prosecutors, it is part of a broader effort to stop other families from experiencing the same tragedy.
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it → follow → tragedy
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