E‑motorcycle crash sparks safety push in Seal Beach

When Stephanie Potter, 72, stepped off Main Street and onto the crosswalk at Ocean Avenue in March, she expected nothing more than a short walk home. Around 5:30 p.m., a teenager screaming past on a Surron electric motorcycle clipped her, sending her sprawling and shattering a leg, a hand, her nose and her jaw.

Doctors kept her in the intensive‑care unit for two weeks, then sent her to rehab for another month. Even after the physical wounds began to heal, the emotional sting lingered—especially knowing the rider escaped without a scratch.

Police from the Seal Beach Police Department confirmed the teen wasn’t injured, but they haven’t released a name or any details about the rider’s age. The motorcycle itself was deemed “illegal” for the streets, a point that has fuelled community outrage.

Potter isn’t staying silent. She’s slated to address an e‑bike safety luncheon on July 28, hosted by the Seal Beach Rotary Club. Representatives from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office are expected to attend, and the conversation will likely touch on whether the teen’s parents could face charges—a question prosecutors have not yet answered.

Her story isn’t isolated. Later last year, 81‑year‑old Ed Ashman lost his life in Lake Forest after a similar collision with a teen on an electric motorcycle. Those two incidents have turned a casual curiosity about e‑bikes into a pressing local debate about rider training, enforcement of vehicle regulations, and pedestrian protection.

For Potter, the goal is simple: make sure no‑one else has to endure the months of pain and uncertainty she’s lived through. “If sharing my story can keep a family from losing a loved one, it’s worth every extra step,” she says, eyes steady despite the lingering ache in her leg.