2 Arrested in Connection with Death of 18-Year-Old Kayaker in Texas Jet Ski Hit-and-Run on Memorial Day Weekend
Two people have been arrested after Texas teen Ava Moore, 18, was killed in a jet ski hit-and-run on Sunday, May 25, authorities have confirmed
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a press release that Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez and an unnamed male have been arrested in connection with the incident
"Our thoughts are with Ava's family and friends during this difficult time," the Texas Game Wardens said in a previous release while announcing the teenager's tragic deathTwo people have been arrested after a teenage kayaker died in Texas over Memorial Day weekend after being struck by a jet ski whose driver allegedly fled the scene.
In a Tuesday, May 27 press release, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez and an unnamed male, both reportedly in the U.S. illegally, had been arrested following the death of Ava Moore, 18, on the evening of May 25 at Lake Grapevine in Tarrant County.
Gonzalez, from Venezuela, is suspected of striking and killing Moore, while the man arrested is suspected of helping her "flee the scene of the crime," per the release.
After leaving the scene, the pair allegedly subsequently committed "a hit-and-run after striking another vehicle," the press release continued.
'My heart breaks for Ava's family and friends, and my prayers are with them as they face this tragedy,' Attorney General Paxton said, per the release.
'My office will continue to work with local, state, and national law enforcement partners to secure justice for Ava,' he added.
The Texas Game Wardens also announced Gonzalez's arrest, sharing a photo of the suspect on Facebook on Tuesday.
"We are thankful for the help of fellow law enforcement officers from the Texas Attorney General's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Dallas Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations," they wrote.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
In a May 26 news release shared on Facebook, the Texas Game Wardens said Moore had died in the jet ski hit-and-run. A female passenger remained to speak with first responders following the incident, per the release, while "the operator fled with an adult male."
"Our thoughts are with Ava's family and friends during this difficult time. Texas Game Wardens remain committed to keeping our public waters safe," they said in the release.
Moore had 'just returned from Colorado Springs after finishing her 1st year at the Air Force Preparatory School,' according to a GoFundMe page. She had previously been an 'outstanding student and athlete' at Timber Creek High School.
The basketball player helped the Lady Falcons to a 71-51 mark across four years, including a 24-10 record in 2022 during her sophomore year and a 17-14 mark during her senior season, Sports Illustrated reported.
"As The Moore family is grieving the sudden loss of their beautiful daughter/sister, we would like to ask for the communities help in easing the burden of funeral costs for this family. All money will go directly to the family. Thank you so much for helping," the GoFundMe stated.
The page had raised over $31,000 as of Wednesday, May 28.
Texas Parks & Wildlife, the Grapevine Police Department and the Attorney General's office did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
U.S. vet from WWII is honored in Europe, showered with gratitude at age 99
Harry Humason's right arm became so fatigued from waving at the adoring crowd that the 99-year-old used his left arm to support it. Humason sat in the passenger seat of a truck, wearing a U.S. Army jacket and a hat that listed his World War II regiment and division. As the truck inched past a synagogue, apartments and stores in Pilsen, Czech Republic, roughly 50,000 people cheered, threw lilacs from balconies and waved Czech and U.S. flags. Humason was treated like a hero this month when he visited the Czech Republic, returning to a place he helped liberate from Nazi Germany during World War II. He pulled thousands of dollars from his emergency fund to realize his dream trip, visiting Europe for the first time since 1945 and receiving recognition for his service there. His daughter, Linda Humason, created a GoFundMe for the trip, but only a handful of people had contributed by the time the pair flew to Europe. That changed after the festivities in Pilsen. Humason was shocked that hundreds of grateful Czech citizens donated money to thank him for his contributions to their country. The GoFundMe reached nearly $30,000, largely in small donations, so Humason wouldn't have to pay a cent for his travels. 'I went over with the idea that it was a trip of a lifetime for me,' Humason told The Washington Post. 'And I soon discovered from the Czech people that really I was a token representative of all the veterans that had fought in World War II to liberate Europe and Czechoslovakia, and I took that very seriously.' 'I was just so moved by the people there,' he added. 'It was just amazing.' Humason, who grew up in Alhambra, California, volunteered to join the Army in December 1943 as a teenager. He became a private first class under Gen. George S. Patton Jr., carrying a Browning automatic rifle. He was in combat for more than four months in Europe near the end of World War II, helping liberate Frankfurt, Germany, before his division was sent to a Czechoslovakia mountain range in May 1945. Humason said he walked about 50 miles through woods, small towns and a swamp for a few days carrying playing cards that his division used to decide who would pick up tasks like digging a latrine or being on night patrol. They reached the Teplá Vltava river, where Humason saw trouble: German bunkers, an 8.8 centimeter flak gun and machine guns on the other side. He heard gunfire from Russian liberators fighting German soldiers. 'If we had to cross that river,' Humason said, 'I might not be here.' Before they crossed, they were relieved to receive word that they should stay on the hillside. A white plane would be flying above them, carrying the German delegation that would sign a ceasefire to end the conflict. Humason said he and his division captured German soldiers who surrendered and held them at a hunting lodge with a large, fenced courtyard. After the war, Humason received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and began building missiles and rockets at a Naval Ordnance Test Station in Pasadena, California. He met his late wife, Jean, in college and started a family. He never expected to return to Europe. That changed in October. Jiri Kluc, a Czech historian who interviews World War II veterans and Holocaust survivors, saw photos on Facebook of Humason from a recent Puget Sound Honor Flight, a nonprofit that flies Washington state veterans to D.C. Kluc noticed a red diamond on the front of Humason's green helmet, a symbol of the division that liberated Czechoslovakia, before it split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993. Kluc, 28, emailed Humason to invite him to Pilsen's liberation festival in May. Linda Humason created a GoFundMe in December, asking for help buying flights, transportation in Europe, hotels, travel insurance, meals, tickets for public attractions and pet sitting for her two dogs and cat. 'I wanted to make sure he made this trip because it was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime shot, I thought,' said Linda, 56. 'And I didn't care what it took to get him there.' So despite only raising $2,605 by the end of April, they flew to Europe. After visiting relatives in Amsterdam for a few days, Humason and Linda arrived in Pilsen, a city in west Czech Republic, on May 1 for four days of liberation celebrations. Veterans' family members, including Patton's grandson, George Patton Waters, were there, but Humason said he was the only U.S. veteran. Some Czechs wore makeshift U.S. uniforms and set up tents for a reproduction of the U.S. Army's encampment and a reenactment of the May 1945 liberation convoy through the city. Humason tried to attend every event, even if they were honoring divisions he wasn't a part of. Humason participated in the convoy and delivered a speech in the city's Republic Square in front of about 5,000 people, where he said 'no one wins, everyone loses' in war. After a few days in Pilsen, city officials arranged a 50-mile drive to Prague for Humason and Linda, and Kluc shared a link to Linda's GoFundMe on Instagram. To Kluc's surprise, Czechs helped donate $20,000, Linda's fundraising goal, within a few days. Humason said he was relieved he could reimburse the money he spent from his savings. And his recognition was far from over. Humason attended a concert at the Municipal House, where a symphony orchestra played famous songs from World War II movies. Before performing the theme song from the 1970 movie 'Patton,' the conductor walked off stage and toward Humason to introduce him to the crowd. Hundreds gave him a standing ovation for about a minute. After the concert, spectators approached him for photos and autographs. Kluc's father, Aleš, drove Humason and Linda about 80 miles south to the Teplá Vltava river, where the country had established a diamond-shaped monument in honor of Humason's division. Vegetation covered the German bunkers that Humason saw across the river decades earlier. Humason and Linda then flew to Frankfurt, where Humason was amazed to see the city clean and lively with modern buildings. When Humason was there in the spring of 1945, rubble filled the sides of the streets from demolished buildings and other structures. Before they flew home May 13, Linda bought another suitcase to fill with about 39 pounds' worth of gifts that Humason had received. He took home a small granite pillar that had broken off from Pilsen's Thank You America Memorial. He received dozens of challenge coins and badges, including one from the U.S. Embassy that showed a U.S. flag and a Czech flag intertwined and Pilsen police patches that officers ripped off their uniforms to give him. He received World War II books, even though he can't read the ones written in Czech. The Embassy is mailing him a U.S. flag that flew there May 6, the 80th anniversary of U.S. troops liberating Pilsen. Linda said she and her father spent about $24,000 on the trip, but with the extra money she received on GoFundMe, she said she'll donate to her county's veterans assistance center. She's saving some money so she and her dad can begin planning another trip to Pilsen.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
More than 300 attend vigil honoring Morrow County sheriff's deputy killed on Memorial Day
Two and a half years ago, a woman said in an online post shared by a pastor, Morrow County Sheriff's Deputy Daniel Weston Sherrer responded to a domestic violence call and saved the lives of four girls in the process. Sherrer again responded to a domestic violence call on Memorial Day, May 26, that would lead to him being fatally shot. More than 300 people — including police officers and deputies from several central Ohio law enforcement agencies— came together on the evening of May 29 at the Morrow County Sheriff's Office for a candlelight memorial to pay their respects and honor the life of Sherrer. Nearly all in attendance sported "thin blue line" shirts, flags and pins, while others wore custom T-shirts remembering Sherrer as a selfless person and law enforcement officer who was willing to put his life on the line for others. Others sported black armbands, a popular symbol to show mourning. Some also purchased blue and white signs saying, "We support Morrow County Law Enforcement." After sermons from two local pastors — one of whom told the story about Sherrer rescuing the four girls— the attendees received candles and lit them in honor of Sherrer. There was a brief moment of silence as blue and red lights from parked police vehicles glared in the background. The vigil also included an honor guard presentation from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, a bagpipe performance, and the singing of the U.S. national anthem. On the evening of Memorial Day, Sherrer responded to a domestic violence call and gunshots fired at a home in the 100 block of County Road 26 (Olive Green Marengo Fulton Road) at the intersection with County Road 15 (West Liberty-Mount Vernon Road), south of Marengo, according to the sheriff's office. On arrival, Sherrer went to the home and encountered Brian Michael Wilson, 53. Wilson threatened Sherrer several times before the two exchanged gunfire, killing Sherrer and injuring Wilson, according to an arrest affidavit. Sherrer was rushed to a local hospital, where he later died. Wilson was also transported to a local hospital in serious condition. He has been charged with aggravated murder in Sherrer's death. Attendees who spoke with The Dispatch at the vigil said their immediate reaction upon news of Sherrer's death was sadness and shock. Matthew Roshan, 31, is a police officer with the Galion Police Department, just north of Mt. Gilead, but started his law enforcement career at the Morrow County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) and said that while he interacted with Sherrer only a handful of times, he doesn't recall ever not seeing a smile on Sherrer's face. "I came to show support for a brother," said Roshan. He also said that even with Sherrer's death, it wouldn't stop him from continuing to do his job as a police officer in Galion. "I was devastated, lost for words," said Lyndsey Wilcox, 38, who has lived in Morrow County since 2006. She noted that Sherrer's death was abnormal in Morrow County. She spearheaded the vigil and said she wanted to show support for the community and law enforcement. "This is what we do for our community," said Wilcox. "(Mt. Gilead) has a small-town feel, and we're all family here." Charles Johnson, a 74-year-old pastor at Friend's Church in Spencerville, Allen County, said he heard about the shooting over the radio and decided to make the nearly two-hour drive to show support for the MCSO. "I'm grieving, hoping, and praying," said Johnson, holding a Bible in his hands. Snyder Funeral Homes in Mount Gilead said that visitation for Sherrer will be held on June 3 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Northmoor High School, 7819 State Route 19, Galion. Funeral services will take place on June 4 at 11 a.m. at the same high school. Private graveside services will follow at Marion Cemetery. Sherrer was honored with a police escort procession from the Montgomery County Coroner's Office in Dayton to Mount Gilead on May 28, which attracted hundreds of attendees in downtown Mount Gilead. During a press conference the day after the shooting, Morrow County Sheriff John Hinton remembered Sherrer as a "godsend" for his office, the county, and the community. Sherrer is survived by his fiancée, his parents, a sister, and other family members, according to Sherrer's obituary. Dispatch reporter Nathan Hart contributed to this story. Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@ at ShahidMeighan on X, and at on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Morrow County hosts vigil for Daniel Sherrer
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Today in Chicago History: Federal officials take control of the Chicago Housing Authority
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on May 30, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) High temperature: 93 degrees (1953) Low temperature: 35 degrees (1873) Precipitation: 1.49 inches (2004) Snowfall: None 1923: Nannette Anderson became Chicago's 'first lady speeder sentenced to jail.' She received a $50 fine and a one-day jail sentence. She stayed locked up for an extra five hours because her husband showed up late with the payment. 1924: A week after 14-year-old Bobby Franks was murdered and his body was discovered adjacent to Wolf Lake, investigators were still trying to piece together who might be responsible for the crime. Then, a slip of the tongue pointed all eyes on Nathan Leopold. He admitted to owning a similar pair of the rare, expensive glasses as those discovered near Franks' body — and losing them at the same spot while supposedly birdwatching a few days earlier. Further questioning connected him as owner of the typewriter on which a ransom letter was typed. When Leopold could not produce either item, he became a suspect. His friend Richard Loeb was also questioned by police. Vintage Chicago Tribune: Leopold and Loeb Both men claimed they took a Leopold family car for a joyride that night, but their alibi fell apart when the family's chauffeur said the vehicle was in the garage the day of Franks' murder. The 'perfect murder' Leopold and Loeb thought they had constructed actually left investigators with no other suspects but them. With the retrieval of Leopold's typewriter from a harbor in Jackson Park, the chain of evidence that connected the two young men to the crime was complete. Both confessed to killing Franks. 1937: Striking workers clashed with police on Memorial Day at the Republic Steel plant on the South Side — the only one in the Chicago area that had stayed open during a bitter nationwide showdown between a number of steel companies and the Steel Workers Organizing Committee, which was trying to unionize the plants. Flashback: Chicago's place at the forefront of labor history Ten demonstrators were killed and 60 were injured, as were 60 police officers. Shortly after Memorial Day, the strike folded as workers streamed back to their jobs in Chicago and elsewhere. Ultimately, however, the union won its contract. 1995: In the largest takeover of its kind, federal housing officials took control of the Chicago Housing Authority four days after its chairman, Vince Lane, and the CHA board resigned under a cloud of mismanagement. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo removed CHA from its list of troubled public housing authorities on Aug. 1, 1998, and returned control of the agency to the city of Chicago on May 1, 1999. 2020: A Chicago protest, in response to George Floyd's killing by police in Minneapolis, became violent and looting took place around the city for the next three days. 5 years after killing of George Floyd, protest in Chicago decries Trump directive to empower police Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@ and mmather@
