Kaylee Hottle, 'Godzilla vs. Kong' actress, dies in Maryland car crash at 18
IJAMSVILLE, Md. -- Kaylee Hottle, an actress best known for her appearance in two "Godzilla" movies, has died after she was involved as a passenger in a car crash early Tuesday in Maryland, authorities confirmed. She was 18.
The single-vehicle collision occurred shortly before 3 a.m. in the community of Ijamsville, according to a news release from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.
"The preliminary investigation revealed that a 1995 Honda Accord, operated by a 19-year-old Frederick man, traveled off the right side of the two-lane roadway and struck a culvert," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "Excessive speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision."
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Along with the driver, two passengers were in the car at the time of the crash, authorities said. The driver was transported to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, and one passenger declined medical treatment at the scene.
The other passenger was identified as Hottle, a resident of Kyle, Texas. She was taken to a trauma center, where she was later pronounced dead, the news release said.
The crash remained under investigation, and no arrest or citation was announced.
Hottle was born into an all-deaf family that spans four generations on her father's side, according to IMDb.com.
The actress was best known for her role as Jia in the 2021 movie "Godzilla vs. Kong" and the 2024 sequel, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire."
In a March 2024 interview on "Good Morning America," Hottle described what her classmates thought of her "Godzilla" roles.
"They think it's super cool," she said. "They're seeing one of their friends on the big screen, and it's alongside Kong too."
Hottle's father Joshua said in a Facebook video Tuesday that he was flying to Maryland after learning of his daughter's death.
"I am taking a flight that I never would like to take," he captioned the video, in which he used American Sign Language.
Hottle's school, Texas School for the Deaf, paid tribute to the 18-year-old on Tuesday.
The school said Hottle was enrolled there as a senior and described her death as a "tremendous loss" in a social media post.
"Our hearts are with Kaylee's family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time," the school wrote, adding, "Please keep Kaylee's loved ones in your thoughts as we mourn this tremendous loss together."
ABC News contributed to this report.
