A 13-year-old boy whose parents are facing criminal charges after he died riding an electric motorbike was traveling faster than originally thought, the Daily Mail can reveal.
Benson Nguyen, of Santa Ana, California, died in May of this year after crashing his $4,299 Eride Pro SS 2.0 electric motorbike in Garden Grove.
It emerged earlier this week that his father Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, and his mother Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49, are facing possible jail time if convicted after being hit with charges of child endangerment. It is unclear at this time if they have entered a plea, the Daily Mail has contacted the couple for comment.
Officials originally said that Nguyen was traveling at roughly 35 mph, but the Daily Mail understands that the teen was actually doing 45 mph when he struck a raised central divider.
The Daily Mail has also uncovered hair-raising videos of Nguyen shared to his TikTok profile of him raising hell down a main boulevard in Westminster, California.
In one jaw-dropping clip he is seen mounting a curb at high speed and taking off into the distance while a friend films him.
The person behind the camera then reveals the real reason for the speeding, as two cop cars with lights and sirens ablaze comes into frame and chase after the boy.
Due to the speed of the motorbike, Nguyen is long gone by the time the cops appear in the frame.
Other videos show him driving into oncoming traffic while pulling a wheelie on the bike and balancing himself by one leg on the motorbike.
Benson Nguyen, of Santa Ana, California, died in May of this year after crashing his $4,299 Eride Pro SS 2.0 electric motorbike
The Daily Mail has uncovered hair-raising videos of Nguyen shared to his TikTok profile of him raising hell in Orange County
The youngster frequently shared jaw dropping videos of himself wheeling down main roads and even fleeing police officers
A month before his death, the youngster was riding a Tuttio electric bike but boasted on his TikTok that he had acquired the Eride model just three weeks before he died riding it. According to the manufacturer, it can reach a top speed of 55mph.
Nguyen was thrown from the motorbike in the May crash, with police saying that he was wearing a helmet but it was a traditional bicycle helmet and not designed for motorbike use.
The Daily Mail has also obtained a coroner's report which found that he died as a result of blunt force injuries to his abdomen.
The report noted evidence of doctors attempting to save the boy's life, which included opening up his abdomen
It also said how health professionals had attempted to save the boy's life by operating on him and how at the time of his autopsy his insides were still lined with surgical towels to stop bleeding.
Abrasions and contusions were also noted over his body with a laceration of his anterior left arm, the report said.
Prosecutors who are now going after his parents said that under state law the bike is classified as a motorbike due to it not having a pedal-assist system. Under-16s are banned from riding such bikes in California.
His mother was slapped with a misdemeanor charge of child endangerment on Tuesday. Prosecutors said that if convicted she would spend as much as one year in county jail.
His father, meanwhile, has been charged with felony child endangerment and an additional misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
His father Vu Thanh Nguyen, 56, and his mother Hong Cuc Thi Nguyen, 49, are facing possible jail time after being hit with charges of child endangerment
In one clip, the youngster is seen balancing himself on the rear of an electric motorbike while not wearing a helmet
Nguyen was thrown from the motorbike in the May crash, with police saying that he was wearing a helmet but it was a traditional bicycle helmet and not designed for motorbike use
According to public records, Hong runs her own beauty clinic in Westminster where the family live in an apartment.
His father Vu had a state license to work as a manicurist, but posts to his social media point to him now being involved in construction work.
Vu is facing the extra charge after prosecutors said he bought his son a 'faster and more powerful' motorbike despite being warned that his son's behavior was reckless and had been repeatedly injured in the past while riding a different bike.
Prosecutors said that just six months before his death Nguyen had broken his leg while riding a different motorbike. If convicted on all counts, Vu could spend as much as six years behind bars.
A spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney's Office told the Daily Mail this week that the charges of the parents were the start of a widespread crackdown.
Officials have gone door to door throughout the county speaking with retailers of the bike warning them of their duties to inform buyers that they are not street legal and not made for children, the spokesperson said.
The DA's office has also seized a motorbike that they said the owner of had managed to alter to travel at speeds of 85 mph.
After the announcement this week of charges against Nguyen's mother and father, a flurry of other parents were also charged.
Alex Li was hit with the misdemeanor after prosecutors said he allowed his son, 11, to ride an electric bike with an output of 1200 watts, over the limit of 750 watts to even have it classified as a motorbike.
In June, Li's son suffered broken bones and an arterial bleed after slamming into a pickup truck while traveling at 33 mph in Yorba Linda, prosecutors said.
Mother Maria Roehling, meanwhile, allegedly let her nine-year-old son have an electric bike capable of traveling at 47 mph when he was hit by a pickup truck, officials said.
Prosecutors said that just six months before his death Nguyen had broken his leg while riding a different motorbike
Nguyen is seen here fleeing from police on his motorbike at high speed by mounting a sidewalk
An image of his motorbike is seen here following the crash that claimed his life
She is facing a felony count of child endangerment and infraction for allowing a child to drive a motor vehicle without a license, prosecutors said. If convicted on all counts, she faces six years behind bars.
Dan Rezmives was hit with one count of child endangerment and another for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Prosecutors said he let his 12-year-old ride an electric bike that he bought him for Christmas on city streets at speeds of 50 miles per hour. He faces a year in county jail if convicted.
Parents Hulin Guo and Xiaomin Wang face the same two counts each after their son, 17, led Newport Beach on a pursuit at a speed of 40mph on his electric motorbike, prosecutors said.
The youngster, officials claimed, resorted to driving around pedestrians on sidewalks and down one way streets after refusing to pull over, police had to abandon the pursuit due to his reckless driving, prosecutors said.
Jose Ramirezbarragan, 33, is accused of allowing his 15-year-old brother ride his electric motorbike around La Palma and led police on a chase at speeds of 40mph, prosecutors said. He is facing a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and a year in county jail if found guilty.
It is unclear at this time how all of the above named people have pled at this time. Phone calls to Wang and his wife, Rezmives and Li went unanswered. Cell numbers for Roehling and Ramirezbarragan were not publicly available.
Announcing the charges, District Attorney Todd Spitzer said: 'We don't want to have to prosecute parents – we want to save kids' lives.
'When parents refuse to parent and tell their kids 'no' when it comes to riding something that is dangerous and illegal, then I have no choice but to hold parents accountable and file criminal charges.
'Kids are getting seriously injured and killed and I refuse to allow another child to be hurt or killed because I didn't do everything I could to send a message that these vehicles are not child's play.
'If you're going to hand the keys to a deadly weapon to your child, then be prepared to face the consequences of your actions.'
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