FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A woman was killed after she fell off a moving SUV overnight, a chaotic finish to what began with an argument at a motel in Fort Lauderdale, police said.
Fort Lauderdale Police units responded to a report of a car accident with a pedestrian involved along the 400 block of Southeast 32nd Street, at around 2 a.m. on Tuesday.
Upon arrival, officers learned that the victim and the male driver involved knew each other.
Detectives said the violent chain of events started with a physical altercation between the two of them at a local motel. Witnesses said the motel in question is the Vacation Inn at 3101 SE 6th Ave., but police have not confirmed that information.
Surveillance video from area businesses captured part of the altercation, as well as the SUV involved.
As the altercation escalated, investigators said, the driver attempted to leave in his white Nissan Pathfinder.
It was at this moment when, detectives said, the woman jumped on the hood of the SUV. Around the corner from the motel, she fell off while the vehicle was in motion, suffering critical injuries.
Police said the driver stopped and called 911.
Paramedics with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue transported the woman to Broward Health Medical Center, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Gregory Hoyt, who lives at the Vacation Inn, said he’d recently seen the couple interacting normally just a few hours before the incident.
“Come out at about 9, 9:30, they were out here sitting in the chairs over there talking,” said Hoyt.
Later in the night, he woke up to find several police cruisers swarming the area.
“I woke up about 3:30 to go to the bathroom, and I looked out the window. That’s when I seen about eight cop cars over here,” he said. “I’ve been here two and a half years. It’s always quiet; there’s no problems over here at all.”
Later in the day, crews were seen towing away a white Nissan Pathfinder.
A bloody towel could be seen in the roadway as investigators worked to piece together what led up to the woman’s death.
Wednesday morning, detectives identified the victim as 29-year-old Essence Landers. They urge anyone who witnessed this incident to call Fort Lauderdale Police at 954-828-5700.
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