A Yorba Linda father is facing felony charges after his 12-year-old son was critically injured while riding an illegally modified e-bike that could reach speeds of up to 60 mph. Richard John Eyssallenne, 39, pleaded not guilty to one felony count of child endangerment and abuse and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Key Takeaways
An Orange County father is facing felony charges after his 12-year-old son was critically injured while riding an illegally modified e-bike that could reach speeds of up to 60 mph.
- Richard John Eyssallenne, 39, pleaded not guilty to one felony count of child endangerment and abuse and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
- The boy was critically injured after running a red light and colliding with a Honda Civic on July 20, 2025.
- The e-bike had been modified to exceed legal speed and power limits, converting it into an e-motorcycle.
- Eyssallenne faces up to six years in state prison if convicted.
- The incident is part of a broader concern about minors riding illegal electric motorcycles across Southern California.
The incident occurred on July 20, 2025, around 2 p.m., at the intersection of Via Lomas De Yorba West and La Palma Avenue. Authorities say the boy ran a red light and was struck by a Honda Civic. A driver behind the Civic recorded the collision on video. The boy was hospitalized with a concussion, an intracranial bleed, a skull fracture, a broken wrist, and a fractured femur.
Prosecutors allege that Eyssallenne and his son illegally modified the 2024 Talaria XXX e-motorcycle, which had been gifted to the boy for Christmas. The modifications included replacing factory pedals with motorcycle pegs, increasing the motor's peak output to 5,000 watts (well beyond the legal ceiling of 750 watts), and disabling the manufacturer’s speed limiter.
According to prosecutors, the boy had been cited in December 2024 for illegally riding the e-motorcycle. The following month, Eyssallenne brought both his sons to an e-bike safety presentation hosted by Yorba Linda police services. Despite this, the bike was modified further and involved in a crash.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated, 'There is absolutely no reason that an unlicensed, untrained child with no concept of the rules of the road should be riding a motorcycle that can go up to 60 miles per hour next to cars on a public street. This 12-year-old boy is lucky to be alive and the driver who hit him will have to live with that horror of seriously injuring a child through no fault of his own.'
If convicted, Eyssallenne faces up to six years in state prison. The case highlights broader concerns about minors riding illegal electric motorcycles across Southern California.
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