OC parents plead not guilty in fatal e-motorcycle crash that killed 13-year-old son

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - The parents of a 13-year-old boy killed in a Garden Grove e-moto crash pleaded not guilty to child endangerment charges, with prosecutors alleging the father bought the high-powered vehicle despite prior warnings and injuries, while defense attorneys argue the grieving parents speak limited English and received no safety disclosures from the retailer. 

What we know:

The victim's father, 56-year-old Vu Thanh Nguyen of Santa Ana, is charged with a felony count of child endangerment and a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. 

The boy's mother, 49-year-old Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen of Santa Ana, is charged with misdemeanor child abuse and endangerment. Both parents entered not guilty pleas on Thursday, Nov. 12.

According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, 13-year-old Benson Nguyen was speeding and flashing through red lights while performing wheelies on an E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 when he crashed at Magnolia Street near Larson Avenue around 10 p.m. on May 7. Prosecutors said Benson slammed into a raised center divider, fell off the vehicle, and struck a concrete light pole. He was transported to UCI Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.

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Prosecutors allege Vu Thanh Nguyen purchased the vehicle for his son despite multiple warnings regarding Benson's reckless riding, noting that the teen had suffered a broken leg in a previous crash six months prior to his death. Authorities also pointed to multiple videos posted on Benson's TikTok and Instagram accounts depicting daredevil riding stunts. 

Under state law, vehicles like the one Benson was riding are distinguished from standard e-bikes and require both a motorcycle license and specific safety equipment.

What we don't know:

While defense counsel referenced underlying struggles within the household prior to the fatal crash, the specific details of those family dynamics and the problems Benson was experiencing have not been disclosed. 

The identity of the retailer that sold the E-Ride Pro SS 2.0 to the family and whether that business faces any scrutiny over its sales practices are unknown.

What they're saying:

Joel Garson, the attorney representing Vu Thanh Nguyen, emphasized the ongoing trauma the family is experiencing alongside the legal proceedings. 

"The parents are still completely grieving the death of their child. He was only 13," Garson said. "They're still grieving the loss of their child, and to add to the injury while already facing that devastation, now they have to deal with criminal charges and a media frenzy that has caused ostracism, and people being judgmental about parenting styles. The public does not understand what was happening in the family dynamics and the problems the kid had before this happened."

Garson added that the case involves complex circumstances that extend beyond simple negligence. 

"There's a lot of layers to this case and the parents are still struggling with how could this have been prevented and what could be done to help their son before he got involved in this kind of risky behavior," he said.

According to Garson, the Nguyens "speak very limited English and did not understand the difference between e-bikes and e-motorcycles." He noted that the vehicle "was sold to them with no warnings by the retailer, no discussion about the speed it could travel or whether it was street legal or not, or age appropriate or not." Reflecting on the teen's motivations, Garson said Benson "found something he was good at and was never going to stop doing that gave him social acceptance," before asking, "How can you punish them more than they've been punished?"

What's next:

Vu Thanh Nguyen and Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen are scheduled to make their next court appearance on Jan. 25 at the West Justice Center in Westminster. 

Attorney David Scarsone will continue representing Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, while Joel Garson represents Vu Thanh Nguyen as the criminal proceedings move forward.

Crime and Public SafetyOrange CountyGarden Grove