Victim Speaks Out After Devastating E-Motorcycle Crash

A 72-year-old Seal Beach resident, Stephanie Potter, is four months into her recovery after a serious March crash where she was struck by a teenager on a Sur-Ron e-motorcycle in a crosswalk. Potter sustained multiple fractures, including her tibia, hand, nose, and jaw, spending weeks in intensive care and rehabilitation. She is scheduled for further surgery to reset her jaw, which still affects her speech.

Potter advocates for greater safety education and accountability for parents allowing children to ride such vehicles, emphasizing that her goal is not punishment but awareness. Orange County prosecutors have charged parents in similar incidents. The legal distinction is crucial, as Sur-Ron motorcycles, lacking pedals and exceeding speed and power limits, are classified as off-highway electric motorcycles under recent California Vehicle Code changes.

This push for accountability follows a fatal incident in Lake Forest where an 81-year-old man died after being struck by a 14-year-old on an e-motorcycle. The boy's mother faces multiple felony charges, making her the third parent in Orange County charged this year for related offenses. Potter is set to speak at a safety event on July 28, alongside representatives from the Orange County District Attorney's Office.