A 13-year-old Pomona boy, Angel Roman Mendoza Lopez, was struck and killed Friday afternoon while riding an electric scooter to a friend’s house after school, turning an ordinary neighborhood trip into a devastating loss for his family.
The collision happened on San Antonio Avenue just north of Franklin Avenue. Angel suffered severe head injuries and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Relatives said he was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Police said the driver involved stopped immediately and has been cooperating with Pomona officers.
Crash under investigation
Pomona police have opened an investigation into the deadly collision and say they are working to piece together what happened in the moments before impact. As reported by ABC7 Los Angeles, officers have not released additional details, and the inquiry remains active.
Family sets up fundraiser, remembers Angel
Angel’s relatives describe him as a devoted cadet who loved soccer and dreamed of one day wearing a Pomona police uniform for real. His cousin Karen Torres told ABC7 Los Angeles, “He was a good kid; a golden heart.”
In the wake of his death, the family created a fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses. The GoFundMe had collected more than $11,000 as of April 19. The family’s public appeal and donation page are available on GoFundMe.
Helmet rules and safety context
Under California law, anyone under 18 who operates a motorized scooter is required to wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet (Vehicle Code §21235), and scooters are also restricted from certain types of roads. A review of e-scooter safety from the National Academies has found that helmet use among injured riders remains persistently low and that head injuries are a common and serious outcome of crashes, a pattern that highlights the particular risks for young riders.
For more on the rules and research, see California Vehicle Code §21235 and the National Academies report from NAP.
Pomona police say the investigation into Angel’s death is ongoing and that more information will be released as it becomes available. Neighbors, classmates, and members of his cadet circle have described the loss as devastating, leaving a tight-knit community reeling from the sudden tragedy.
