Lethal danger on North Texas lakes: ‘Hopefully ... her death won’t be in vain’
More than a dozen brightly colored paddleboards and kayaks cut through the water of Grapevine Lake on the morning of May 31.
Near the spot where Ava Moore was fatally hit by a jet ski less than a week earlier, the group paused to remember the 18-year-old kayaker and release flower petals into the lake.
“Hopefully ... her death won’t be in vain, and she’ll bring awareness to safety for all of us,” Amber Wommack can be heard saying in a Facebook video of the tribute.
As the group came ashore at Oak Grove Park, they talked to the Star-Telegram about the dangers involved in paddle sports and what they believe would make local lakes safer.
Paddlers are often alone or in small groups and are hard to see. That can put them at risk for being hit by boats, including jet skis. Wommack said paddlers take their life in their hands every time they go out.
“If you’re a boater or jet skier, just be more aware when you’re out on the lakes,” she said.
Stand-up paddleboarder April Davis thinks it’s too easy for inexperienced people to rent jet skis and other watercraft.
“I would like to see less access to jet skis on any lake,” Davis said. “They are so fast.”
Bob O’Connor, who beached his kayak near the group honoring Moore, said people are generally going to do what they want to do in the water. He’s not sure more signs, buoys or patrols would make a difference.
“Personal responsibility is the biggest thing,” he said.
Hit-and-run crash
Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez, the 21-year-old woman accused of driving the jet ski that hit Moore, was speeding and had made several reckless passes along the shoreline before the accident, witnesses told police. Moore and another kayaker were trying to paddle away from the danger when the jet ski struck the back of Moore’s kayak.
Moore suffered head trauma in the collision and died on the way to the emergency room at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center.
Gonzalez got into a car with 21-year-old Maikel Coello Perozo and left, investigators said. Their Toyota Corolla hit two cars while leaving the area, according to police.
Gonzalez and Coello Perozo were arrested May 27 in Dallas. They’re being held in the Tarrant County Jail. Both suspects are from Venezuela and crossed the southern border into the United States illegally, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Bond has been set for Gonzalez and Coello Perozo, but they both have immigration holds from ICE.
Gonzalez has been charged with second-degree felony manslaughter, according to court records. Coello Perozo has been charged with collision involving damage to a vehicle and hindering apprehension.
Their defense attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.
Jet ski safety
Jet skiing has grown in popularity as more and more people discover the adrenaline-packed thrill personal water crafts offer. They’re easy to rent, and kids as young as 13 can legally operate them in Texas.
Jet skis can also be dangerous, and Texas Game Warden Capt. David Pellizzari says it’s vital to understand the risks and follow the safety rules.
“I’ve told multiple parents like just because your kid is 13, you have to think of the broader picture here,” Pellizzari said. “Those things ... have steering on them, but to effectively turn them, you utilize your body weight. And a 13-year-old kid might not necessarily have all the body weight of a grown adult.”
Jet skiers are supposed to follow the 50-foot rule, meaning they can’t go any faster than a slow idle while within 50 feet of any object or the shoreline. Violations are common, according to Pellizzari, and accidents are often the result.
“You’re either jumping the wake of another boat, or you’re both turning at the same time and both of you collide, or you just turn and hit a fixed object, like a tree or a marker buoy,” he said.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recorded 226 recreational boating incidents across the state last year. Open motorboats were involved in 129 of them, and included 44 injuries and 15 deaths.
Personal watercraft, or jet skis, came in second place with 47 incidents involving 22 injuries and one death.
Texas law requires all boat operators — including jet skiers — who were born on or after Sept. 1, 1993, to take a boater education course. Even those who don’t fall into that age bracket should take the course, according to Pellizzari.
“It’s not as simple as just showing up, getting on a boat and being able to drive it,” he said. “We want everybody to understand who’s got the right of way in certain situations (and) the various laws that they need to know about life jackets and alcohol and navigation.”
Swimming in lakes
Paddleboarders and kayakers weren’t the only ones enjoying the sunny weather at Grapevine Lake the last day of May.
Kailey Bauer and her two friends sat at a covered picnic table at Oak Grove Park next to the lake. They just came to hang out, they said, and had no plans to get in the water. Their dog, an Australian Shepherd Blue Heeler mix, played close by.
Juan Garcia and his 11-year-old son, Aaron, prepared for a swim a little farther down the shore.
“(It’s) a nice family place to come and take your kids,” Garcia said.
Garcia told the Star-Telegram he comes to the lake often. He thinks lifeguards and more signs about the 50-foot rule for jet skiers would make things safer for everyone.
Recent heavy rains have pushed the shoreline in farther than usual, and some picnic tables are now in the water. Garcia pointed to a sudden drop-off in an area where people swim. You can’t see it when the water is high like it is now, he said. Recently a boy got in there and started to panic, and Garcia helped pull him to safety.
Pellizzari cautions that lakes are not like swimming pools. The water isn’t clear, so it’s hard to tell how deep it is. He urges people to look for designated swimming areas and use extra care when the water is high. Dangerous debris might be lurking below the surface.
For that reason, diving headfirst is discouraged, he said. People have ended up with neck injuries from hitting submerged objects.
One of Pellizzari’s pet peeves is seeing parents distracted on their phones while their children are in the water.
“If your kid’s in the water, put the phone down and watch them,” he said. “Drowning does not look like it does in Hollywood movies — it’s not this loud, dramatic thing. Typically, the person just slips underwater quietly.”
Children aren’t required to wear life jackets while swimming, but Pellizzari strongly encourages them to anyway. He also suggests children and adults wear bright colored swimwear in the water because it makes them easier to see.
Drowning can happen to the best swimmers. It’s important to have a designated spotter to keep an eye on everyone in the water. Take breaks while swimming, and stay hydrated to prevent cramps.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re an Olympic-caliber swimmer,” Pellizzari said. “If things go wrong in the water, there’s very little leeway.”
Staying safe in the water
June, July and August are the top months for water-related accidents in the state, according to TPWD statistics. Texas Game Wardens are tasked with patrolling public waters, but Pellizzari said personal responsibility is a key to keeping everyone safe.
“Our primary focus as an agency is water safety, and as much as we would like to be in every single place, at every single time, that’s ... not a feasible deal,” he said.
A pole covered with various sizes of life jackets stands a few yards from the water at Oak Grove Park. It’s part of the Loan a Life Jacket program — the Grapevine Fire Department’s efforts to prevent drowning incidents at the lake.
“(The) number one thing that we preach is life jackets,” Pellizzari said. “Life jackets do save lives.”
Texas law requires all children under 13 to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while on a boat or paddlecraft that’s in motion. Adults and teens don’t have to wear a life jacket while boating, but they must have one readily accessible.
“We highly suggest that people wear them at all times,” Pellizzari said.
All life jackets are not created equal. Coast Guard-approved life jackets meet certain safety standards. Some of them will turn a person right side up in the water, which is especially important in the case of a child or someone who’s unconscious.
It’s also important to make sure the life jacket is a correct fit and in good condition with no frayed edges, Pellizzari said.
At least 12 people drowned in boating-related accidents last year, according to TPWD statistics. None of them were wearing life jackets.
Three kayakers, including Boswell High School senior Luke Nickens, drowned in North Texas lakes in March. One of them was reported to be wearing a life jacket, but it’s not clear if the other two were. Officials haven’t publicly said what factors may have led to the accidents.
In April, 10 University of North Texas students were stranded on Lake Ray Roberts in Cooke County after their paddleboards and canoes were blown off course by strong winds. A Texas game warden and paramedics rescued the group, but one of them had to be taken to a hospital for hypothermia.
Pellizzari encourages swimmers and boaters to stay weather aware. Texas Parks and Wildlife won’t shut down a body of water in inclement weather, but local authorities may under certain conditions, he said.
“We just ask that people kind of take a little personal responsibility on themselves and be wise with it,” he said. “If conditions do not look good, then don’t go out.”
Water temperature is another thing to watch out for, according to Pellizzari. It doesn’t take long for hypothermia to set in when the water is cold.
“If you’re swimming in water that’s cooler than average, your body’s core temperature will drain considerably faster,” he said. “And when that happens, you start losing gross motor skills and the ability to ... stay cognizant and stay above water.”
‘Boating and alcohol don’t mix’
More than 50 Texas boat operators were arrested Memorial Day weekend and charged with boating while intoxicated — the highest number in the past five years, according to a TPWD news release.
“Boating and alcohol don’t mix,” Pellizzari said. “In a lot of people’s minds they go hand-in-hand, but a big majority of accidents and injuries that we see are caused by intoxicated boaters.”
Boating while intoxicated carries the same penalties as driving while intoxicated in Texas. If you’re going to consume alcohol while boating, Pellizzari suggests you plan ahead for a designated driver, the same as you would for a car on land. Or just wait until you get home to take that drink, he said.
Alcohol isn’t safe for swimmers either, as it can impair judgment, coordination and balance.
“We’re not looking to ruin anybody’s fun weekend,” Pellizzari said. “We want to make sure that everybody goes home at the end of the day safely, and ... when we can do that, we’ve succeeded.”
This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
