A 12-year-old in Rochester Hills was hospitalized in serious but stable condition as of Friday, Aug. 7, after crashing an electric motorcycle into a parked pickup truck on Thursday, Aug. 6, prompting Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard's office to warn parents about the legal requirements for high-speed electric vehicles.
Deputies responded around 8:24 p.m. to the area of Dorfield Drive and Briston Drive after multiple 911 callers reported the crash and said the child was unconscious, according to ClickOnDetroit.
The Sheriff's Office said the child was riding an electric motorcycle when it struck a legally parked 2010 Ram 1500. Rochester Hills firefighters transported the child to Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak.
Officials said the electric motorcycle was advertised as capable of speeds exceeding 45 mph. It was not registered or insured. The child was wearing a helmet, but investigators determined it was a bicycle helmet, not one rated for motorcycle use.
What Michigan law requires
Under Michigan law, electric vehicles that exceed e-bike class definitions are classified as motor vehicles, not e-bikes. That means they require registration, insurance and compliance with state motor vehicle regulations. A vehicle capable of 45-plus mph far exceeds the 28 mph cap for Class 3 e-bikes.
The Sheriff's Office said it wants parents and riders to understand that electric motorcycles can differ significantly from electric bicycles, and that depending on design, power and top speed, some may be subject to licensing, registration, insurance and equipment requirements.
E-vehicle injuries among children
Children ages 10 to 13 are among the groups most frequently injured in electric vehicle accidents, according to injury prevention data highlighted in a June 2026 campaign by Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. About 97% of riders who suffered significant e-bike injuries in that data were not wearing any helmet at all. This child had a helmet on. It just wasn't the right kind.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office Crash Reconstruction Unit is actively investigating. No additional details, including the brand or model of the motorcycle, had been released as of Friday, Aug. 7.
