A Tamarac man is in custody on first-degree murder charges after killing a woman by running her over with his pickup truck twice.
Lawton Cohen, 53, was arrested for killing Barbara Sapp, 55 years old, after the two got into an argument outside a food store in Pompano Beach on Saturday night. According to the Broward Sheriff's Office, Sapp leaned into the truck and was knocked down when Cohen stepped on the gas. He then reversed to back up over her body once and then drove forward to run over her again. Sapp was taken to the hospital, where she eventually died from her injuries.
The BSO SWAT unit arrested Cohen without incident at his Tamarac home Sunday after distributing surveillance footage captured at the scene. Cohen told detectives he wasn't aware he ran over Sapp twice.
Cohen is a registered sex offender who was convicted of sexual battery on a person 12 years of age or older in 1992. The Sun Sentinel reported that in addition to the sex conviction, Cohen was convicted of a strong-arm robbery and grand theft auto. He served 15 years in prison and an additional 18 months for a parole violation.
Neighborhood residents set up a memorial for Sapp near the spot where she was killed, and friends and family gathered Sunday to remember the victim.
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