Huntington Beach Man Charged with Manslaughter in E-Bike Death

Brandon Scott Soleau, 21, of Huntington Beach, has been charged with one felony count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in the death of 20-year-old Kolby Aipa. The incident occurred on August 2, 2025, when Aipa was fatally injured while 'car surfing' on an e-bike being towed by Soleau's truck at speeds exceeding 50 mph along Pacific Coast Highway. Aipa, who was not wearing a helmet, lost control of his e-bike and crashed after grabbing onto the truck's window. He died three days later from blunt head trauma.

Soleau is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday and faces a potential sentence of up to six years in prison if convicted. The Orange County district attorney's office stated that Aipa's actions, which included attaching himself to the vehicle, violated California Vehicle Code regulations. Aipa was posthumously inducted into the Surfers' Hall of Fame in September, honoring his legacy as the grandson of renowned surfboard shaper Ben Aipa.