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Friends' deadly stunt: E-bike rider falls from truck
18 Jul
Summary
- Man charged in friend's death after e-bike stunt.
- Victim fell after holding onto truck while on e-bike.
- Suspect faces six years in prison if convicted.
A tragic incident occurred last year when a 21-year-old Huntington Beach man, Brandon Scott Soleau, was charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence following the death of his 20-year-old friend, Kolby Kekoa Aipa.
The fatal event unfolded on August 2 of the previous year, around 10:30 p.m. Soleau had picked up eight friends in his Toyota Tacoma. During the outing, Aipa, riding an e-bike, asked Soleau if he could hold onto the truck while surfing. Soleau allegedly agreed.
Aipa attached himself to Soleau's truck by his arm through the front passenger window while on his e-bike. Prosecutors stated Soleau drove onto Pacific Coast Highway at approximately 50 miles per hour, with a passenger filming Aipa being towed.
After traveling over a mile, near Seapoint Street, Aipa lost control and fell from the truck. He was hospitalized but died three days later from blunt head trauma. Soleau now faces up to six years in prison if convicted.
