A Huntington Beach man said he was attacked over the weekend after he and his wife rode past a large group of teenagers on e-bikes near the beach.
Sam El-Said told KTLAhe was hit in the face with a glass bottle thrown by someone in the crowd, and kicked and stomped on by multiple people when he tried to navigate through dozens of young people on e-bikes.
One minor was arrested, and Huntington Beach police said in a statement they were continuing an investigation into the attack.
The incident occurred Saturday at about 8 p.m., according to police, after two people reported a confrontation with a group of minors on the beachside path.
El-Said told KTLA that he and his wife were riding scooters down the path and navigating through the crowd when someone threw the bottle. He said someone then knocked him to the ground, and several people began to kick and stomp on him.
In images from the incident, El-Said is seen on the ground, and one teen is seen trying to pull others away from him.
The minor who was detained was cited for misdemeanor battery, according to police.
Huntington Beach has become a popular meeting spot for e-bike riders, especially minors who arrange group rides through social media. Videos of some of the group rides through the city show, at times, hundreds of e-bike riders rolling through city streets.
The day before the attack, Huntington Beach conducted an operation targeting illegal e-bikes and electric motorcycles in the city, issuing 32 e-bike citations in the day.
E-bikes are required to show a classification number, which identifies the vehicle’s top speed and motor wattage. In California, e-bikes are classified into three classes, including Class 1 pedal-assisted e-bikes that provide motor assistance under 20 mph.
Class 2 e-bikes have a throttle that allows users to operate them without pedaling, but the electric motors top out at 20 mph.
Class 3 e-bikes, with a top speed of 28 mph, can only be ridden by someone who is at least 16 years old.
Bikes that do not use pedals, have more than 750 watts of power, or can reach speeds higher than 28 mph are considered electric motorcycles. Such a motorcycle must be registered with the DMV, and its driver must have a motorcycle license, according to the California Department of Justice.
During the city’s crackdown, 29 people were referred to a Huntington Beach Police Department e-bike-rider education program, 55 warnings were issued, and one vehicle was impounded, according to the department.
“HBPD remains committed to keeping Huntington Beach safe through proactive enforcement, education, and community outreach related to e-bikes and other electric mobility devices,” the department said in a statement.
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