A California couple is facing criminal charges after their 13-year-old son was killed in a high-speed electric motorcycle crash, with prosecutors alleging they repeatedly ignored warnings about his dangerous riding and even purchased him a more powerful bike months after he suffered a serious injury.
Benson Nguyen, of Santa Ana, died May 7 after losing control of his electric motorcycle while traveling through Garden Grove, California. Investigators say the teenager was speeding, running red lights and performing wheelies shortly before the fatal accident.
Now, more than five months after his death, authorities have taken the unusual step of charging both of his parents with child endangerment.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced the charges Tuesday, October 20, arguing that the tragedy could have been prevented if the boy’s parents had acted on repeated warnings.
According to prosecutors, Benson was riding an E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 electric motorcycle along Magnolia Street near Larson Avenue shortly before 10 p.m. when he lost control.
The motorcycle struck a raised concrete median, throwing the teenager from the vehicle before he collided with a light pole.
Emergency responders rushed Benson to UC Irvine Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.
Investigators later reviewed information from the family’s Life360 location-tracking app, which indicated the motorcycle was traveling approximately 43 mph when the crash occurred.
But prosecutors say the circumstances leading up to the accident were even more troubling.
According to the district attorney’s office, Benson had a history of dangerous riding that included speeding, running red lights and performing stunts on public streets.
He had also posted videos on TikTok and Instagram showing himself doing wheelies and other tricks on his electric motorcycle.
Authorities allege his parents were repeatedly warned about those activities and the dangers associated with allowing a 13-year-old to operate such a powerful vehicle.
The teenager had also suffered previous injuries while riding a different electric motorcycle, including a broken leg approximately six months before his death.
Despite those incidents, prosecutors claim his father purchased him an even faster, more powerful model.
That decision is now central to the criminal case.
Benson’s father, Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, faces one felony count of child endangerment and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
His mother, Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49, faces one misdemeanor count of child endangerment.
Both parents live in Santa Ana.
If convicted on all charges, the father could face up to six years in state prison, while the mother could receive up to one year in county jail.
The parents are scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on November 12.
Spitzer acknowledged the family’s devastating loss but said grief does not eliminate parental responsibility when children are repeatedly allowed to engage in dangerous activities.
“The loss of a child is a price no parent should pay,” he said, adding that his office mourned Benson’s death alongside everyone who loved him.
However, the district attorney argued that parents must also be held accountable when they knowingly allow children to operate vehicles illegally despite repeated warnings and injuries.
The case highlights a growing concern across Southern California involving high-powered electric motorcycles that resemble ordinary electric bicycles but are capable of much greater speeds.
The model Benson was riding can reportedly reach approximately 62 mph in its highest-performance setting.
Unlike standard electric bicycles, these vehicles are classified as motorcycles or motor-driven cycles under California law.
That means riders need an appropriate motorcycle license, vehicle registration, insurance and required safety equipment to operate them legally on public streets.
Benson, at just 13 years old, was too young to meet those requirements.
Police have emphasized that the vehicle involved in his crash was not an ordinary electric bicycle. It was a powerful electric motorcycle without functional pedals, making it more comparable to an electric dirt bike.
The distinction has become increasingly important as high-performance electric motorcycles grow more popular among teenagers.
In many neighborhoods, young riders can be seen traveling at speeds comparable to cars while using vehicles that may appear less intimidating than traditional motorcycles.
But the risks can be substantial, particularly for children who lack the training, experience and licensing required to operate them safely.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, injuries involving electric bicycles and electric motorcycles have increased more than 430% across Southern California over the past four years.
Prosecutors also say these injuries have become a major reason children in Orange County require emergency medical treatment.
Benson’s death is not the only case prompting authorities to take action.
Earlier this year, Orange County prosecutors established a specialized enforcement unit called RIDE SAFELY to investigate dangerous and illegal electric motorcycle use involving minors.
The initiative focuses not only on young riders but also on adults who knowingly provide children with vehicles they are not legally permitted to operate.
In another case, prosecutors charged a mother with involuntary manslaughter after her 14-year-old son allegedly struck and killed an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran while illegally riding an electric motorcycle in Lake Forest.
The district attorney’s office also announced additional charges against six Orange County parents on October 21, expanding its efforts to address the growing problem.
Officials hope the cases will encourage families to understand the difference between electric bicycles and motorcycles before allowing children to ride them.
For Benson’s parents, the legal consequences are still unfolding as they prepare for their first court appearance.
The charges remain allegations, and neither parent has been convicted of wrongdoing.
For the wider community, the teenager’s death has become a painful example of how quickly a recreational activity can turn fatal when high speeds, powerful equipment and inexperienced riders come together.
