Two children have died in separate e-bike and e-scooter crashes in the Katy area within five weeks. Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan issued a video warning on Friday, Oct. 16, urging parents to talk to their kids before another child is killed.
Fagan said deputies have responded to more than 30 incidents this year involving e-bikes, scooters and children ages 11 to 15, according to Covering Katy News. He did not say how many involved crashes or injuries.
"I'm imploring all parents and guardians to sit down and talk to our children about making safety a priority every time they ride," Fagan said.
The warning came days after a 15-year-old boy died following a Saturday, Oct. 10, e-bike crash on Woods Road near Tamarron Parkway in Fort Bend County. The Texas Department of Public Safety told Fox 26 the teen was riding against traffic without lights when he collided with a Honda Civic around 7:45 p.m. The driver, an 18-year-old Fulshear resident delivering pizza, stopped to help and called 911, according to DPS. The teen was taken to Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital, where he died. No charges had been filed as of Fox 26's Oct. 15 report.
Fort Bend County Precinct 1 Constable Chad Norvell confirmed the death to Covering Katy News.
That crash followed the Sept. 10 death of an 11-year-old Tays Junior High School student who was riding an electric scooter near Roesner Road and Elk Ridge Lane in the Pine Mill Ranch subdivision. The child died after colliding with a vehicle while crossing the intersection, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office. The driver remained at the scene, and the crash remains under investigation, The Katy News reported.
Katy ISD confirmed the student attended Tays Junior High and said it was providing support resources for students and staff.
Warnings predated both deaths
Norvell had been warning parents about the dangers of electric bikes and high-powered electric motorcycles since January. His office raised concerns about children riding powerful electric motorcycles on neighborhood streets and major roads, sometimes at speeds approaching 70 mph.
Norvell and Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Terry Allbritton sent a letter to Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski on May 21 asking the district to ban unregistered electric motorcycles from school property, the Katy Times reported. As of July 10, Norvell said he had not received a response.
Katy ISD did update its transportation rules for the 2026-27 school year. The district now permits Texas-compliant e-bikes and standing electric scooters but prohibits electric motorcycles, electric dirt bikes, minibikes and similar high-powered vehicles from school property, according to The Katy News.
Authorities have not established that the vehicles in the two fatal crashes were the same type as the high-powered electric motorcycles Norvell's earlier warnings focused on, Covering Katy News noted.
What officials are asking parents to do
Fagan urged parents to make sure children wear helmets, obey traffic laws and avoid distractions while riding. He also called on motorists to watch for young riders.
Dr. Elyse Portillo of Texas Children's Hospital told KHOU the hospital has seen more children arriving with serious e-bike and e-scooter injuries, leading the hospital to change its trauma guidelines. She said children younger than 16 may not have the physical strength to control the vehicles at top speeds.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends children wait until they are old enough to obtain a driver's permit before riding an e-scooter, KHOU reported.
Fulshear parent Sergio Bedoya told Fox 26 the crashes reinforced his decision not to let his 10-year-old son ride an e-bike alone. For now, Bedoya said, they ride together so he can teach his son to stop at every stop sign and share the road.
