Latest news with #GrapevinePoliceDepartment
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Grapevine Lake Death Exposes Dangers Of Possible Illegal Alien Gatherings
Before an illegal alien allegedly killed a woman on Grapevine Lake during Memorial Day weekend, likely Venezuelan crowds had been gathering at the location for 'months' with large amounts of alcohol, The Dallas Express has learned. 'It's kind of turned into kind of a big, big party,' said Raul Barraza, a nearby resident who frequents the location with his family, to The Dallas Express. 'Beer everywhere.' Barraza explained that he lives just minutes from Oak Grove Park in Grapevine, where Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez allegedly struck and killed 18-year-old Ava Moore with a jet ski on May 25, as The Dallas Express previously reported. Gonzalez fled the scene with Maikel Coello Perozo. Both suspects, 21, are illegal aliens from Venezuela, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. They were caught illegally crossing the southern border in 2023, but officials under President Joe Biden's administration released them at the time. The Texas Game Wardens and Grapevine Police Department captured the suspects on May 27 after a days-long manhunt. ICE has placed them on immigration holds, and they are now in 'removal proceedings.' Barraza told The Dallas Express that he and his family routinely visit the park where Moore lost her life. He said for months, from Katy's Woods to Oak Grove Park – where the tragedy occurred – 'it's madness' between Thursday and Sunday. 'We've kind of seen it from a distance the past couple months, and it just kind of gets crazy,' he said. 'It's almost turned into a party, dude. Beer everywhere.' Barraza's wife is from Colombia, so she recognized the crowds were speaking in accents described as 'definitely' from Venezuela – 'no doubt about it.' The park area by the baseball field is usually where 'all the commotion happens.' He said he has not seen any drug use but 'would not doubt it.' 'The lake is supposed to be a place where you go find some peace, get relaxed, get close to nature,' Barraza said. 'For a place that's always been kept clean, it's crazy seeing it just kind of get grimy.' He also said he has heard instances of men roaming the park, offering jet skis for rent to the 'big crowd.' The Dallas Express asked the Grapevine Police Department where the suspects got the jet ski, but Media Manager Amanda McNew directed inquiries to the Texas Game Wardens. Maggie Berger, public information officer for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department – which oversees the game wardens – told The Dallas Express that officials are investigating the ownership of the jet ski Gonzalez was operating at the time. 'The Texas Game Warden Marine Theft Investigation Unit is looking into the ownership history of the personal watercraft,' Berger said. She also said she is 'unable to release any additional details relating to the ownership' of the jet ski due to the 'ongoing investigation.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Grapevine Lake Tragedy: Legacy Media Skirts Biden Admin's Release Of Alleged Killer
The illegal alien who allegedly killed a teen at Grapevine Lake was previously arrested and released during former President Joe Biden's administration, as reported by The Dallas Express. However, other local news outlets have largely overlooked this fact. After police arrested two suspects who allegedly fled after 18-year-old Ava Moore was killed on Grapevine Lake over Memorial Day weekend, officials announced they were illegal aliens who had been arrested – and released – under Biden's administration, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. The alleged killer, 21-year-old Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez – and the man who helped her escape, 21-year-old Maikel Coello Perozo – were illegal aliens from Venezuela. After Gonzalez allegedly killed Moore with a jet ski on May 25, Gonzalez and Perozo fled the scene. The Grapevine Police Department and Texas Game Wardens launched a multi-day manhunt and ultimately captured Gonzalez and Perozo on May 27. Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that day that Gonzalez and Perozo were illegal aliens 'who never should have been in our country in the first place.' On May 28, officials held a press conference and said the suspects were previously arrested and released when they illegally crossed the border under Biden's administration. The Dallas Express reported both stories soon after they broke. After Paxton announced the suspects were illegals, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram only once reported the news, the fact that the suspects were illegal aliens until the end of the article – key intel that possibly explains the suspects' motivation for fleeing. The outlet simply referred to them as 'undocumented immigrants.' Likewise, only one time did the Star-Telegram mention the fact that authorities previously arrested and released the suspects. This information appeared in a brief paragraph halfway down another article. The Dallas Morning News noted – briefly – that they were 'undocumented immigrant[s].' While the outlet has mentioned multiple times that they were in the country illegally, only – in the body of an article – did it report that authorities previously arrested, then released, Gonzalez and Perozo when they crossed the border illegally. Gonzales entered America illegally on September 28, 2023, and Perozo entered illegally on January 22, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday. Both were 'released by the previous administration into the country.' ICE has lodged immigration detainers with the suspects, and both are now 'in removal proceedings.' 'Ava Moore was a patriot serving her country when she was killed by an illegal alien in a hit-and-run over Memorial Day weekend. This senseless tragedy was 100 percent preventable,' said DHS Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin in a press release. 'Daikerlyn Gonzalez and Maikel Perozo should have never been in our country and Ava Moore should be alive today preparing for the Air Force Academy. The previous administration's open border policies have cost too many Americans their lives.' The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has a history of left-leaning coverage. In March, it published an opinion piece claiming it is a 'blessing' to love America, but 'being proud of it is a dangerous curse.' '[T]he Fort Worth StarTelegram was purchased out of bankruptcy from a California company by a New Jersey hedge fund,' Chris Putnam, CEO of The Dallas Express, posted on X. 'There's nothing remotely Texan or Fort Worth about it.' The Dallas Morning News admitted to a in June 2024 when an editor published an opinion piece explaining why the outlet does not represent conservative viewpoints. As The Dallas Express reported at the time, the paper has published pieces criticizing Texas' 'harsh moves against transgender youth' and claiming tollways 'show little mercy for Texans of color.' Reacting to the editor's piece in The Dallas Morning News, the paper's readers echoed concerns about the paper's failure to represent conservative opinions. As The Dallas Express previously reported, one reader wrote, 'Being a conservative Republican and multi-decade subscriber and a carrier way back in high school, I was on the verge of canceling your paper because of this and rising subscription rates.'
CBS News
2 days ago
- General
- CBS News
The suspects in the deadly Grapevine Lake jet ski crash are in the U.S. illegally. What's next in the investigation?
What could happen to the suspects in the deadly Grapevine Lake jet ski crash? What could happen to the suspects in the deadly Grapevine Lake jet ski crash? What could happen to the suspects in the deadly Grapevine Lake jet ski crash? Since the suspects in the deadly Grapevine Lake jet ski crash were confirmed to be in the country illegally, federal immigration officials are now involved in the investigation. The investigation into the watercraft death of Ava Moore is ongoing, according to investigators. The current criminal charges for Daikerlyn Gonzalez and Maikel Perozo do not reflect capital murder. Contrasting statements from authorities on the severity of charges and immigration proceedings highlight the complex legal and immigration issues surrounding the case. What we know about the legal hierarchy in the Grapevine Lake jet ski crash: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott revved up criminal responsibility in the death of Moore. He posted on social media, "Welcome to Texas. Here's your death penalty." CBS News Texas pressed Abbott for clarity because the suspects' charges and the facts, as written by investigators, have not reflected a capital crime. In response to the inquiry, Abbott's press office shared the following statement: "The State of Texas has no tolerance for heinous criminals who kill Texans. The victim's family deserves swift justice, and the criminal illegal immigrants should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. All Texans deserve protection from unchecked criminal activity." Moore was killed, according to the Grapevine Police Department and Texas Game Wardens, on May 25. Investigators said Daikerlyn Gonzalez and a passenger, who does not face criminal charges, were riding on a jet ski. Witnesses, police said, told them Gonzalez was speeding and driving recklessly. Investigators said she hit a kayak with Moore in it. Police said Perozo helped Gonzalez flee the area, allegedly crashing into two vehicles to escape. A joint investigation led to the arrests of the two Venezuelan nationals, who were in the country unlawfully. Gonzalez faces a charge of manslaughter. Perozo faces charges of collision involving a vehicle and hindering an arrest. Dallas ICE agents said the two had been in the country illegally since 2023. They were caught and released, according to ICE's leader in Dallas. "They were arrested at the time of entry, processed for a notice to appear, and then released on their own recognizance," said Joshua Johnson, the acting field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas. But federal involvement doesn't mean agents have taken over. Grapevine PD is the lead investigative agency with layers of support from the state and federal government. Nor does it mean the suspects' immigration issues will outweigh what they currently face in state court, especially Gonzalez. "[When] there sort of like a loophole where folks are charged with serious state crimes, they bond out, get put into immigration custody, and then are whisked away back to their country as a means to avoid the state charges," Daniel Stewart said. The Carrollton-based immigration attorney spoke with CBS News Texas about what happens next in a high-stakes criminal case involving a felony, a death, immigration, and a joint investigation. "In my experience, while there are some gaps in communication between the state and federal immigration, typically, especially with charges this serious, that doesn't happen," Johnson said. ICE said that it has immigration detainers and has initiated removal proceedings for Perozo and Gonzalez, but that does not mean that agents can take over. ICE's scope is limited to immigration, not manslaughter or other criminal charges. He said the case could provide perspective to an immigration judge eventually. ICE was open about its stance, which Johnson spoke about in a news conference on Wednesday. "Once the State of Texas goes through the process and the criminal charges, we'll take custody of them," Johnson said. A victim's advocate for Grapevine PD read a statement from Ava Moore's family. It snuffed the fire of Abbott's statement with a note of mercy:
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Arrests made in alleged hit-and-run that killed U.S. Air Force Academy cadet candidate
(GRAPEVINE, Texas) — The Texas Game Wardens, along with the Grapevine Police Department (GPD), said they have made arrests in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that happened over Memorial Day weekend. On Sunday, May 25, Texas Game Wardens responded to a water fatality involving a personal watercraft and a kayaker at Lake Grapevine, northwest of Dallas. Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) said two women in a personal watercraft allegedly hit and killed 18-year-old Ava Moore, a cadet candidate who had graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School on May 19 and had been accepted to join the Academy as a member of the Class of 2029. According to TPW, the personal watercraft was being driven at a high speed near the shoreline of Oak Grove Park when it collided with a kayak occupied by Moore. The driver, identified as 21-year-old Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez, and the passenger initially left the scene, then later returned. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: USAFA cadet candidate killed in alleged hit-and-run while kayaking in Texas The passenger remained on the scene and spoke with police, while Gonzalez left in a vehicle with 21-year-old Maikel Coello Perozo. While the two were leaving the area, police said they hit two other vehicles. GPD is working on the case of the automobile crashes, while Texas Game Wardens investigated the boating incident. On Tuesday, May 27, Gonzalez and Perozo were arrested in Dallas. TPW said Gonzalez is facing charges of Manslaughter, and Perozo is facing charges of Collision Involving Damage to a Vehicle and Hindering Apprehension. 'We would like to take an opportunity to thank not only our local, state, and federal law enforcement officers but also the public for their support and vigilance in reporting information to the Grapevine Police Department's tip line,' said Texas Game Warden Captain Joseph Quintero. 'We received more than 900 tips from the public, which helped us provide a quick resolution to the family.' 'These arrests will not undo the heartbreak of losing Ava Moore, but we will continue to provide support to her family throughout the criminal justice process,' said Amanda McNew, Media Manager for the Grapevine Police Department. TPW said Enforcement Removal Operations Dallas filed immigration detainers with GPD following the arrests of Gonzalez and Coello, and both are in removal proceedings pursuant to the policies of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas officials share details on fatal hit-and-run of Ava Moore
(NewsNation) — The family of a teen killed in a Jet Ski hit-and-run over Memorial Day Weekend emphasized forgiveness in a statement shared Wednesday. Ava Moore, 18, was reportedly hit by a Jet Ski going 'high rate of speed' while kayaking on Lake Grapevine near Dallas, Texas, on Sunday. Two people have been arrested in connection to her death. 'This is a difficult time for all involved, but also an opportunity for our beautiful girl to continue to impact our community,' the family said in a statement shared during a Wednesday press conference. Father says man tried to abduct his son near Ohio playground 'Out of this tragedy, God will make good — and that only can be accomplished through forgiveness,' the family continued. Moore was a recent U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School graduate, the school confirmed. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday announced two arrests in Moore's death: Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez and Maikel Coello Perozo, both 21. Gonzalez Gonzalez is accused of hitting and killing Moore with a Jet Ski and then fleeing with Coella Perozo in a vehicle, according to a release from Paxton. The pair hit two other vehicles while leaving the scene, police said on Wednesday. Gonzalez Gonzalez faces manslaughter charges, officials said Wednesday. A female passenger on the Jet Ski remained on the scene, according to the Grapevine Police Department. That person has not yet been identified. Paxton called Gonzalez Gonzalez, a Venezuelan national, an 'illegal alien who should have never been in our country in the first place.' He said the same of Coella Perozo. ICE Dallas Field Office acting Director Joshua Johnson confirmed that both are Venezuelan nationals who were arrested while trying to enter the country in '2023 or 2024,' and then released. Johnson said once the state is finished with charging the pair, they will face an immigration judge. Violent attacks rising as crypto holders targeted for Bitcoin keys The United States Air Force Academy posted its condolences on Facebook. '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,' the statement read. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
