Two Arrested in Fatal Jet Ski Hit-and-Run Incident Involving 18-Year-Old Ava Moore in Grapevine, Texas

An 18-year-old cadet candidate from the Air Force Academy lost her life in a boating accident over the holiday weekend. This tragedy occurred while she was kayaking on Grapevine Lake in Texas, as reported by KTRK.

On Sunday evening, Ava Moore was tragically hit by a jet ski, which had two women onboard, as stated by the Grapevine Police Department.

Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez was arrested in connection to her death, according to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

A man who was with Gonzalez and helped her flee the scene was also arrested, according to a statement from Paxton’s office.

The passenger remained on the scene to be interviewed by first responders while the operator fled with the man, according to police.

Gonzalez, a native of Venezuela, and the man, who was not publicly identified, are in the country illegally, according to Paxton’s office.

Grapevine Lake is a reservoir in north Texas.

The department expressed their condolences, saying, “Our thoughts are with Ava’s family and friends during this difficult time. Texas Game Wardens are dedicated to maintaining safety on our public waters.”

The Air Force Academy said Moore had graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School on May 19. She had accepted an appointment to join the Academy as a member of the class of 2029.

“We lost an exemplary teammate this weekend – Cadet Candidate Ava Moore, whose passion for leadership and service left an impact on everyone she met. Ava’s constant happiness and attitude helped her squadron get through the challenges of the Prep School, and her drive to excel was on display as she sought out leadership positions to improve herself and her team. Our team is focused on providing support to Ava’s family, her Prep School Squadron, the Prep School Women’s Basketball team, and the entire Academy family,” Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind said.

A news release from Paxton’s office said Gonzalez and the man were tracked down by law enforcement, including the Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Grapevine Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.