California mother charged after teen son critically injures Vietnam veteran

An California mother has been charged after authorities said her 14-year-old son critically injured an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran while riding an electric motorcycle recklessly in Orange County.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Tommi Jo Mejer was arrested and faces multiple charges, including felony child endangerment and accessory after the fact to a crime. 

She is also charged with several misdemeanors, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor, loaning a vehicle to an unlicensed driver, and providing false information to investigators.

The charges stem from an April 16 crash in which authorities say the teenager, allegedly performing wheelies in the middle of a street, struck the elderly victim before fleeing the scene. 

The man, identified as an 81-year-old substitute teacher and retired captain in the United States Marine Corps who flew combat missions in Vietnam, suffered critical injuries.

Investigators allege Mejer initially denied that she or her son owned or had access to a Surron electric motorcycle, the type reportedly involved in the collision.

Prosecutors said Mejer had previously been warned by sheriff’s deputies about the dangers of allowing her son to ride the high-powered vehicle. 

During a June 2025 interaction captured on body camera, she allegedly admitted purchasing the Surron for him and acknowledged that he rode it recklessly.

Deputies reportedly told her she could face criminal liability if she continued to permit him to operate the vehicle illegally.

Officials say the Surron model involved is classified as an electric motorcycle—not a standard e-bike—and can reach speeds of up to 58 mph, requiring both registration and a motorcycle license. Riders must also be at least 16 years old.

If convicted on all counts, Mejer could face up to six years and eight months in state prison. The juvenile investigation remains ongoing.