Parents Charged With Child Abuse In Walnut Creek e-Moto Crash; Enter Not Guilty Pleas
Parents of a teenaged boy making daily rides from their home in Benicia to his high school in Concord entered not guilty pleas via their attorneys after they were charged with child abuse following the boy’s serious crash on Treat Boulevard in Walnut Creek last year.
Attorneys for Jeanna Gabellini and Steven Crews pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge of child abuse in Contra Costa County court on Friday.
Investigators maintained that the boy, whose name has not been given due to his age, made the ride from Benicia to Concord aboard his Surron Light Bee e-moto bike for almost a year despite repeated citations and warnings about unsafe riding from law enforcement – until the Sept, 18, 2025 crash into a minivan – which left him severely injured.
Walnut Creek police determined the youth was riding recklessly and at unsafe speeds at the time of his crash.
At Friday’s hearing, the judge ordered the parents to take their son’s e-moto bike away until the case is resolved, defense counsel Dan O’Malley reportedly telling a KRON4 reporter: “We’re gonna be a little proactive and try to get Mr. Crews and his wife back in maybe some parenting classes.
A pre-trial conference for the parents is scheduled for June 4.
Original Story
From the Office of the District Attorney:
Martinez, California – The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged a mother and father with
child abuse related to the operation of an e-moto by an unlicensed minor who suffered injuries after
crashing into another vehicle in Walnut Creek.
Steven Leroy Crews and Jeanna Marie Gabellini, both 58 and from Benicia, will be arraigned on
March 27th at 8:30 am in Martinez on one count of child abuse [PC 273a(a)], which is a misdemeanor.
Mr. Crews and Ms. Gabellini are alleged to have willfully and unlawfully permitted a child to be injured
or placed in a situation where the child’s health is endangered on or between October 19th, 2024, and
September 18th, 2025.
It was on September 18th, 2025, around 3:05 pm, that a John Doe minor related to Crews and Gabellini
crashed his Surron Light Bee e-Moto bike into a minivan on Treat Boulevard and Arkell Road in Walnut
Creek. The minor suffered severe injuries that required emergency care at a local hospital. The driver of
the minivan was uninjured and stayed at the scene.
Walnut Creek Police investigated the collision, and through witness statements and other evidence,
determined the child was unlawfully riding the e-moto on Treat Boulevard in an unsafe manner and at
unsafe speeds prior to the crash. Moreover, Crews and Gabellini allowed the minor to repeatedly ride the
e-moto from age 14-17, ignoring repeated citations and warnings from law enforcement.
District Attorney Diana Becton said, “E-bikes and e-motos are more prevalent on city streets. Now that
California has new laws on the books to address public safety offenses related to e-bikes and e-motos,
parents must understand the dangers these vehicles can pose to children if operated unlawfully and
without proper driver education.”
The City of Walnut Creek has helpful information on the different classifications of e-bikes, e-motos, escooters, e-dirt bikes, and how to operate them safely and lawfully.
Previous article
Next article
I wondered when this would happen
I’d call that a good start.
I have mixed emotions. As a parent (and probably before) I believe in holding parents responsible. Where do we draw the line? Wouldn’t this be an accident? If their goal is to keep parents from buying their kids e-bikes, scooters, etc., I agree with that. Child abuse is a stretch and keeping in mind that most jurors are probably parents, this could lead to jury nullification. If that’s the way the law reads, oh well.
Just to be clear, the use of the word “accident” in regards to motor vehicle incidents is not a term in law. There is always a cause (or causes) determined. If a parent takes no action after a minor child’s repeated illegal behavior, that’s on the parents.
What I don’t understand, is how are the kids riding e-bikes in Walnut Creek when they live in Benicia? How did they get the bike over here? Who knows, possibly on the bridge in the freeway?
This is actually a good lesson for parents to heed to.
Highly unusual case but my interest is piqued.
Is there something wrong with those high schools in Benicia?
Back to parenting school.
Darn kids today, running around, raising hell. Get off my lawn!
I mean, what could possibly go wrong???
Just the start I think. There have been deaths and serious injuries and some of these kids ride like they’re invincible. I’m surprised the parents didn’t sue the city for “letting” their child get hit by a car.
Maybe word will spread now. A lot of kids seem to be running wild and their parents couldn’t care less.
And there it is the collapse of civilization argument.
“A lot of kids”? Sure, every once in awhile you can see a few kids riding e-bikes recklessly but there are a thousand other kids behaving perfectly fine.
Those medical bills should have been punishment enough but I agree this is a problem that is out of control.
More of this. A lot of these kids have been allowed to roam wild. There’s video of it happening.
Some of these crashes have been terrible. I’m surprised the parents let the boy ride around like that. Benicia to Concord and back? Not my kid and I know we’re not supposed to second guess others but dang.
Updates?