Boy, 13, killed riding electric scooter in Pomona crash

A 13-year-old boy died Friday after a car struck him as he rode an electric scooter on a residential street in Pomona, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The death of Angel Roman Mendoza Lopez has renewed attention to youth scooter safety across Southern California; he was not wearing a helmet when he was struck in a 25-mph residential zone.

Angel Roman Mendoza Lopez was riding his electric scooter to a friend's house on San Antonio Avenue, just north of Franklin Avenue, when a car struck him Friday afternoon, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead from severe head injuries.

The boy had just returned from a school field trip and called his mother before heading out. "Mommy, I got home from my field trip," he told her, according to ABC7. His last words to her were "I love you."

His cousin Karen Torres remembered Angel as someone with a clear sense of purpose. "He was a good kid; a golden heart," Torres told ABC7. She said he took part in a cadets academy with a goal of one day becoming a police officer, and that he was a devoted soccer player.

Torres also addressed criticism aimed at Angel's family on social media following the crash. "There's posts out there that are judging my aunt and uncle, saying it's their fault. But it's just one of those things. It was an accident," she said.

The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with Pomona police, ABC7 reported. Torres said the location added to the family's grief. "It's a 25-mph zone. I don't know how fast this car was going, but it's just devastating to us," she said.

A GoFundMe campaign was established to help the family cover funeral costs, according to ABC7.

Pomona police had not announced any charges as of the initial ABC7 report. The investigation remains ongoing.