Link: https://bikinginla.com/2026/09/17/13-year-old-boy-killed-riding-ebike-in-menifee-monday-collateral-damage-in-a-police-chase-for-a-non-violent-property-crime/

13-year old boy killed riding ebike in Menifee Monday, collateral damage in a police chase for a non-violent property crime

Multiple sources are reporting that police in Menifee responded to a report of a burglary in progress on the 27000 block of Hemingway Court around 4:54 pm Monday.

A car driven by a woman believed to be involved in the burglary was seen leaving the area, and fled when the cops attempted to pull her over.

The driver was headed west on Holland Road at a high rate of speed when she ran the red light at Holland and Evans Road, striking the boy, who was riding north on Evans Road.

The victim, identified as 13-year-old Menifee resident Cody Villatoro, died at the scene, despite the efforts of police and paramedics.

The driver continued to flee until her car became disabled, at which point police arrested the woman, 21-year old Temecula resident Melody Valdez, on suspicion of evading police and homicide, among other charges.

So let’s repeat. Villatoro was riding with the green light, and apparently did nothing wrong other than share the planet with a driver wanted by police for a nonviolent property crime. But now he’s dead, because of a driver’s bad decision to flee and the cops’ choice to continue the chase.

Does calling the cops ever result in a net gain for everyone involved?

And this will absolutely result in both pundits and pearl clutchers blaming the e-bike and screeching for more regulation and bans on them. I'm just calling this right now.

They could shoot a kid off an ebike abd the conclusion would be to ban ebikes.