On Sunday, May 25th, two Venezuelan citizens residing illegally in the United States were taken into custody for causing the death of 18-year-old Ava Moore, a U.S. Air Force recruit who was fatally struck while kayaking on Lake Grapevine, Texas. The offenders fled the scene, prompting a statewide hunt and multi-agency investigation. Moore had just finished at the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School and was preparing to begin basic training.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office claims that Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez, 21, was driving the jet ski that struck Moore’s kayak. Following the collision, Gonzalez ran away from the area in a blue Toyota Corolla driven by Maikel Coello Perozo, age 21. It was later determined that both people were in the nation illegally. Bystanders rescued Moore from the water and brought her to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, where she was declared dead.
On May 27th, law enforcement officers from many organizations discovered the suspects at a home in the Dallas region. Law enforcement officers from the Grapevine and Dallas police departments, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and federal agents from Homeland Security and ICE used drone surveillance to monitor the property. Both suspects gave up after a standoff and were taken into custody without further incident. The collaboration emphasizes the practical need for cooperation between agencies in the field of public safety.
Gonzalez was accused of second-degree felony manslaughter. Coello is currently facing charges in connection with fleeing the site of an accident in which someone was killed or injured, and other charges are still pending. According to police, the investigation is ongoing. According to witnesses, there was another woman on the jet ski at the time, but she remained at the scene and has not been arrested. The occurrence brought increased attention to Texas’ boating laws and jet ski restrictions, particularly in regard to enforcement gaps on public lakes.
“Ava Moore’s death was caused by an illegal alien who should have never been in our country in the first place,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, calling the incident a senseless tragedy. He stressed his office’s dedication to helping victims and their families by cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies and pursuing aggressive legal measures.
Additionally, the incident has drawn the public’s attention to the need for better navigation safety rules for recreational watercraft. Authorities advise that all recreational users of rivers and lakes follow state and federal safety regulations to the letter. Moore’s passing has sparked demands for improved safety training and stronger enforcement to stop future tragedies like this.
