Authorities in Texas have identified two suspects in a jet ski hit-and-run accident on Lake Grapevine that killed an 18-year-old kayaker.
In a statement issued on May 27, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton identified Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez, 21, as the suspect in the death of Ava Moore, 18. During a May 28 press conference, Texas Game Warden Captain Joseph Quintero listed Maikel Coello Perozo, 21, as a suspect for assisting Gonzalez in “fleeing the scene of the crime,” according to the statement.
In a statement, Paxton stated, “My heart breaks for Ava’s family and friends, and my prayers are with them as they face this tragedy”. “My office will continue to work with local, state, and national law enforcement partners to secure justice for Ava.”
During the news conference, Quintero stated that Gonzalez, who was arrested with Perozo on May 27 in Dallas, has been charged with manslaughter, while Perozo faces charges for a collision involving car damage and impeding apprehension. The officer further stated that additional charges could be made as officials “continue to investigate this tragic incident.”
It is unclear whether the suspects are represented by a lawyer.
“We send our deepest condolences to family during this difficult time and ask the public to allow them to grieve privately,” Quintero told reporters.
What has happened to Ava Moore?
Moore was kayaking in Lake Grapevine, a reservoir about 25 miles northwest of Dallas, on the evening of May 25 when she was fatally struck by a personal watercraft carrying two ladies, according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department statement dated May 26.
During the news conference, Texas Game Warden Captain Joseph Quintero stated that the “jet ski was being driven at a high rate of speed near the shoreline of Oak Grove Park where the incident occurred.”
The jet ski passenger, whose name has not been revealed, remained on the site to be interviewed by first responders, while the operator departed with a male, authorities said. They then collided with two automobiles as they left the area.
Ava Moore ‘didn’t suffer,’ says witness
Lisa Scrabeck, a witness, told CBS News that Moore was pulled ashore after being hit, and she was wearing a life jacket, which was removed before CPR began.
“She didn’t suffer in agony,” Scrabeck told the outlet. “It is quite terrible, and I express my heartfelt condolences to the family. I can’t image being the parents of this little kid. But one thing I can say is that she didn’t suffer from the time I saw her.”
The witness stated that she had seen the two women suspected of the hit-and-run driving the jet ski “recklessly” throughout the day.
Moore, according to Quintero, was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead.
Multiple agencies participating in the probe.
While the Grapevine Police Department was looking into the car collision, Texas Game Wardens were conducting the water death investigation, according to TPWD’s statement.
According to Paxton’s statement, the Attorney General’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit collaborated with other agencies, including TPWD, Grapevine Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the United States Department of Homeland Security, to make these arrests.
During the press conference, Quintero also thanked the public for its active part in locating the suspects, stating that officials “received more than 900 tips” on the tip line, which helped us deliver a timely conclusion for the family.
The officer said that the investigation into the incident is still ongoing and that they will keep the public posted.
