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Leydis Menéndez Abdala, a Cuban who had been a fugitive from justice for 19 years after being involved in an accident where a woman died in Hialeah, Miami, was arrested this Saturday.
Leydis Menéndez Abdala, 52 years old, was charged, according to Miami-Dade jail records, with vehicular homicide/reckless conduct and involuntary manslaughter for driving under the influence of alcohol, local media reported.
On August 12, 2006, Abdala ran a red light in his vehicle and struck Gloria Marcia Hall at a traffic light on 68th Street around 4 a.m.
Hall's brother, Miami Police Commander Joaquín Freire, stated during an interview that his sister died at the scene after being hit by a vehicle, while Abdala was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, the report specifies.
Menéndez Abdala, 35 years old, signed a statement admitting that he was under the influence of alcohol, but then escaped from the hospital and fled to Mexico. At that time, the woman was warned that the Hialeah police would take a blood sample from her, which prompted her to flee.
On Friday, Freire attended the hearing of the currently fugitive individual and requested the judge to detain her without bail. Abdala remains in custody and will appear again in court on Monday.
The police had been searching for this Cuban woman for years, and every now and then they would remember her case. In 2023, Freire recalled that "my sister's name was Gloria M. Hall, 40 years old. She was a loving friend, a beautiful sister, an extraordinary daughter, and above all, a loving mother."
"My sister was murdered on August 12, 2006, by a young woman who ran a red light while driving under the influence of alcohol (twice the legal limit)," she explained.
He pointed out that "the terrible accident occurred when my sister was on her way to church to attend a retreat. My sister leaves behind two young daughters who miss her dearly, and to make matters worse, the young woman who caused my sister's death is on the run and has not been seen for a month," he said.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Case of Leydis Menéndez Abdala and Traffic Accidents in Miami
Who is Leydis Menéndez Abdala and why was she detained?
Leydis Menéndez Abdala is a Cuban who was arrested after being a fugitive for 19 years due to an incident in which a woman died in Miami. She was charged with vehicular homicide and involuntary manslaughter for driving under the influence of alcohol. The accident occurred in 2006 when she ran a red light and struck Gloria Marcia Hall.
What happened on the day of the accident involving Leydis Menéndez Abdala in 2006?
On August 12, 2006, Menéndez Abdala ran a red light and hit Gloria Marcia Hall, who died at the scene. Abdala admitted to being under the influence of alcohol on the day of the accident, but he fled before a blood sample could be taken.
What is the current legal situation of Leydis Menéndez Abdala?
Menéndez Abdala remains in custody and will appear again before the court. During her recent hearing, the victim's brother requested that she be held without bail due to the seriousness of the case.
How does this case compare to other recent incidents of hit-and-runs in Miami?
This case is part of a worrying trend in Miami where several drivers have been arrested for fatal accidents and fleeing the scene. Other examples include the case of Ivana Gómez in Little Havana and Malcolm Antonio Lumpkin in Miami Gardens, both involved in deadly hit-and-runs while driving under the influence of alcohol.
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