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Contra Costa Charges Parents After Teen’s E‑Moto Crash

Prosecutors cast the case as a test of using criminal charges to deter unlawful youth use of high‑speed electric mini‑motorcycles.

Overview

  • Contra Costa prosecutors filed one misdemeanor count of child abuse each against Steven Leroy Crews and Jeanna Marie Gabellini on Thursday, with arraignment set for Friday morning in Martinez.
  • The case stems from a September 2025 collision in Walnut Creek in which their son, riding a Surron Light Bee e‑moto, hit a minivan and suffered severe injuries.
  • Authorities say the parents let the boy ride the machine from ages 14 to 17 despite repeated police citations and warnings.
  • Police report the teen rode without a license at unsafe speeds, and ABC7 says the e‑motorcycle had been heavily modified to exceed 40 miles per hour.
  • Officials frame the prosecution as part of a broader crackdown on fast e‑bikes and off‑road e‑motos marketed to teens, while a legal analyst quoted by ABC7 questioned whether jurors may view the case as government overreach.