Teen charged over death of 8-year-old riding electric bike

A 15-year-old boy has been charged over a e-bike crash that led to the death of an eight-year-old boy on the Sunshine Coast.

On October 30, Zeke Hondow, 8, died after a collision with another rider on a bike path at Mountain Creek, near the Kawana Way and Sunshine Coast Motorway interchange.

Emergency services were called to the bike path about 3.36pm, following reports of a crash involving two boys riding electric bikes.

Zeke was taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a critical condition but died from his injuries that night.

Following investigations, police officers from the Sunshine Coast Child Protection and Investigation Unit arrested a 15-year-old Buderim boy on Tuesday.

He has been charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, unlicensed driving, unregistered vehicle and uninsured vehicle.

The boy is due to appear in Maroochydore Children’s Court on November 26.

Last month, Sunshine Coast police Chief Inspector Jason Overland described the bikes involved as electric powered, and said the investigation would include determining how much power they produced.

Two days after Zeke’s death, a 15-year-old boy died after crashing a SurRon Ultra Bee electric dirt bike on Broadbeach Boulevard on the Gold Coast, just after 3am.

Premier David Crisafulli has resisted pressure to change existing rules before Christmas, saying the government would wait for the results of a parliamentary inquiry, due to report by March 30.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.