Attendees received free helmets at Pacific Beach Middle School, and more than 50 families signed up for the event held in honor of Owen Harris.
San Diego, CA - October 25, 2026
A 14-year-old boy, Owen Harris, died after a crash involving an e-bike in Pacific Beach, according to NBC 7 San Diego. A free safety seminar held Sunday honored his memory and taught young riders about e-bike rules and responsible riding.
Key Facts
- Date: Seminar held Sunday, October 25, 2026; the crash occurred more than a month earlier.
- Location: Pacific Beach, San Diego, San Diego County, California. A memorial remains near Olney Street and Balboa Avenue.
- Type of crash: Collision between a car and an e-bike rider.
- Vehicles involved: Car and e-bike.
- Injuries / fatalities: One fatality, Owen Harris, age 14.
- Responding agencies: San Diego Police.
- Reported by: NBC 7 San Diego.
Crash Overview
According to NBC 7 San Diego, Owen Harris was riding an e-bike and turning at a red light when a car struck him. He attended Pacific Beach Middle School, and he died more than a month before the Sunday event. Few other details about the crash have been reported.
On Sunday, a free seminar at Pacific Beach Middle School took place. Lawson-Remer's office, working alongside several community groups such as the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, put the event together. Participating teens received free helmets and learned about e-bike regulations.
Kevin Baross, education manager for the coalition, said California recognizes three classes of e-bikes, each with specific requirements. He cautioned that some products sold or ridden as e-bikes could in fact be mopeds, motorcycles, or off-road machines, which are barred from public streets. The goal, he said, is to help riders understand what they are using, not to discourage e-bike use.
The seminar comes as local officials respond to rising e-bike injuries. Earlier this month, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a plan for a regional e-bike injury warning system. In 2025, Rady Children's Hospital counted more than 260 pediatric e-bike trauma cases in the county, compared with three in 2021. Reported e-bike crashes within city limits, per San Diego police figures, numbered at least 84 in 2025, up from no fewer than 23 four years earlier. The supervisor's office intends to run more e-bike safety programs and hand out helmets again next year, with scheduling still to be determined.