A 14-year-old boy died after his e-bike collided with a Tesla at the intersection of Olney Street and Balboa Avenue in the Pacific Beach neighborhood of San Diego on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Police say the teen, identified by school officials as Owen Harris, was riding his e-bike north on Olney Street around 9:20 p.m. when he entered the intersection against a red traffic signal and was struck by a 2023 Tesla Model 3 traveling west on Balboa Avenue. Harris, an eighth grader at Pacific Beach Middle School, died from his injuries. The 38-year-old driver of the Tesla stopped at the scene and called for paramedics. No charges have been filed against the driver as the investigation continues.
NBC 7 San Diego reported that the San Diego Police Department’s Traffic Unit is handling the investigation into the crash. According to the outlet, Pacific Beach Middle School notified families of Harris’s death and made grief counselors available to students, staff and parents throughout the week. NBC 7 also reported that the fatal collision has renewed local concern over high-powered electric bikes marketed to minors, as San Diego County supervisors weigh action against manufacturers and retailers accused of selling overpowered electric motorcycles as e-bikes. A second outlet, 10News, reported that friends of Harris gathered at the intersection to mourn his death.
