Toxicology tests found no drugs or alcohol in the system of the 19-year-old driver involved in the Maryland crash that killed Godzilla vs. Kong child star Kaylee Hottle at age 18.
The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ on Monday that the driver’s test results were negative for both drugs and alcohol.
Hottle, who was deaf, was riding as a passenger in a 1995 Honda Accord on July 21 when the vehicle left the road and crashed into a ditch in Maryland. Local authorities said speed was a factor in the accident.
The 18-year-old actress died from “multiple blunt force injuries,” according to officials.
The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office had already confirmed to Our News Outlet at the time that alcohol impairment was ruled out in the days following the fatal crash.
The driver sustained injuries that were not considered life-threatening, while a second passenger did not require medical treatment at the scene.
No drugs or alcohol were detected in the system of the driver involved in the crash that killed Godzilla vs. Kong star Kaylee Hottle at 18 (Above, in Los Angeles in March 2024)
The 18-year-old deaf actress was a passenger in a 1995 Honda Accord that left the road and crashed into a Maryland ditch, with speed cited as a factor by local authorities — the damaged vehicle is pictured after the crash
She appeared in the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong and its sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
It remains unclear whether the teenage driver will face criminal charges. Hottle’s manner of death has been classified as accidental.
Hottle portrayed Jia, a young girl who communicates with King Kong through sign language, in the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong and its 2024 sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
The Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to Our News Outlet on Wednesday that Hottle’s death was accidental and resulted from “multiple blunt force injuries.”
Her autopsy was completed on Wednesday morning.
Images of the wrecked Honda Accord showed the extensive damage caused by the crash.
The front end was almost completely crushed, with the hood folded upward and the bumper largely destroyed.
Grass and mud were caught around the front wheels and twisted into the damaged bumper.
Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, announced her death during a Facebook livestream titled “I am taking a flight that I never would like to take.” According to TMZ, he described traveling from Texas to claim his daughter’s body.
Joshua, who is also deaf, used American Sign Language to explain that officials called to tell him his daughter’s heart had stopped on the way to the hospital, shortly after he learned about the crash.
Hottle died from “multiple blunt force injuries” in the accidental crash (Above, pictured in November 2021)
Hottle portrayed Jia in the Godzilla films
Kaylee’s school, the Texas School for the Deaf, also announced her passing on their Facebook page.
‘It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed away yesterday in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland.
‘Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time.
‘At this time, we have very limited information and ask that everyone respect the privacy of Kaylee’s family and refrain from sharing or speculating about the circumstances surrounding the accident.
‘We recognize this loss will have a significant impact on our TSD community. Counseling and support services are available for students and staff who may need them, with additional support being provided for Kaylee’s classmates and friends.
‘Please keep Kaylee’s loved ones in your thoughts as we mourn this tremendous loss together.’
Kaylee’s father broke the news with his Facebook followers in a livestream titled ‘I am taking a flight that I never would like to take,’ in which he described having to travel from Texas to claim his daughter’s body
Kaylee is perhaps best known for her role of Jia, a young girl who was able to communicate with King Kong using sign language and had a ‘special’ connection with him.
‘Because Kong and my character had a special bond. We signed with each other,’ she told The Daily Moth in 2021.
The script was translated into ASL with the help of Kaylee’s parents and another individual, a process that presented some challenges on set.
‘I was fine with memorizing the script and signing my lines, but the tough part was signing out the “spoken” parts because we had to change it, and sometimes they’d tell us it was wrong but they didn’t understand that ASL changes almost everything,’ she said.
‘Because the interpreter said what I said. The producer and director would sometimes say “Don’t say that” and want me to follow the script, but the signs for that sentence would be different in ASL.
‘There was one instance where there was a misunderstanding between us related to the ASL translation, which caused a delay, but they later understood.’
Kaylee also taught her castmates how to sign: ‘Teaching the cast how to sign. They had never interacted with a deaf person before.
‘I had to explain how to sign and use facial expressions. That was the hard part, but when they picked up on it, it was fine. I didn’t really have challenges, they were very accommodating. Some of the workers learned how to sign.’
At the time, Kaylee’s co-star Alexander Skarsgard sang her praises, calling her the star of the film.
Rebecca Hall played Jia’s adopted mother, Dr Ilene Andrews
Godzilla vs Kong star Alexander Skarsgard sang Kaylee’s praises in a 2021 interview
He even learned ASL in order to communicate with her when they weren’t filming.
Kaylee ‘steals the movie,’ he told Junkee in 2021.
‘It’s her first movie,’ he said. ‘It’s fascinating how comfortable she is in front of the camera and how quickly she takes notes from the director Adam [Wingard].
‘He’ll explain something and she’ll be like “got it, got it,” then she’ll just do it and everyone’s like “the f- … how did she?” She’s so professional and just incredibly … there’s so much going on on her face, her expression and the subtleties of that is fascinating to watch.’
According to her IMDb, Kaylee hails from an all-deaf family.
In addition to her role in the Godzilla films, Kaylee appeared on an episode of Magnum PI and did commercials for products that helped deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.
She did a public service announcement for the video chat messenger Glide and a commercial for Convo Relay.
Kaylee was also featured in 10 Deaf Children: One Powerful Message.
Outside the spotlight, she was also an athlete as a member of her school’s track and field team.
