A juvenile riding an electric motorcycle on Mission Gorge Road in Santee was struck by a passing motorist Monday afternoon in what the San Diego County Sheriff's Department is investigating as a hit-and-run collision.

The motorist fled before Sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene. Emergency medical personnel responded and transported the injured rider to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Witnesses told deputies that a group of juveniles on e-motorcycles had been creating hazardous conditions in the roadway prior to the crash — riding in travel lanes and holding up traffic, according to Sgt. Lorenzo Ortiz of the Santee Sheriff's Station.

After the collision, the situation worsened. "While deputies were on scene, several additional juvenile riders operating e-motorcycles fled the area, riding over center medians and into oncoming traffic, nearly causing additional collisions," Ortiz said. The other riders left their injured companion at the scene before authorities could make contact.

Ortiz emphasized that deputies were not in pursuit of the fleeing riders and were present solely to respond to the original collision. It remains unknown whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the incident. The Santee Sheriff's Traffic Unit is actively investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call the Santee Sheriff's Station at (619) 956-4000.