Man Detained After He Allegedly Dragged Florida Woman to Death

FORT LAUDERDALE – A man was being detained in New York for the death of a woman who was dragged for several miles under a minivan after trying to stop the driver from fleeing a collision, officials said Monday.

Abdelaziz Bilal Hamze, 24, was detained on Delta flight 132 bound for Athens, Greece, Broward County Sheriff's spokesman Elliot Cohen said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained him while the plane was pulling away from the gate at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, Cohen said.

Broward sheriff's deputies were en route to New York to interview Hamze, who is a U.S. citizen, Cohen said. He will be charged with first degree murder, Cohen said.

Hamze has been accused in the dragging death of 44-year-old Sandra Hall, of Fort Lauderdale. She was in a Cadillac struck by the minivan Sunday night, Broward County sheriff's officials said.

Hamze was identified after a man called authorities and told investigators he had been contacted by Hamze. The caller said that several months ago he sold Hamze the 1999 Dodge minivan involved in Hall's death, and that Hamze had contacted him after the killing.

Details of the conversation between the men were not released.

Witnesses also identified Hamze from a photo lineup. It was not immediately known if Hamze had an attorney.

The minivan fled the crash scene, with the Cadillac in pursuit, authorities said. Hall stood in front of the minivan when both vehicles were stopped in traffic.

The minivan's driver sped off after hitting Hall and tossing her onto the hood, authorities said. As the vehicle continued driving, Hall fell off the hood and became lodged underneath the minivan, officials said.

Hall was dragged for several miles before she fell from the undercarriage, authorities said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cohen said witnesses should come forward.

"They need to solve it before I solve it," said Michael Williams, Sandra Hall's husband.

Nicole Hall, Hall's daughter-in-law, said she was a mother to the whole family. Nicole Hall's mother, Theresa Campbell, said Sandra Hall loved to cook and would feed homeless people in the neighborhood.

"She will be missed. Even to the homeless," Campbell said. "It always happens to the good ones."