1. Lyft driver assault lawsuit
2. Houston robbery ring kidnapping case.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
A mother of four who was working as a Lyft driver to make ends meet has filed a lawsuit against the rideshare company after she was sexually assaulted and held at gunpoint during a ride. The incident took place in Houston, Texas, where the victim, identified as J.W., was working as a Lyft driver as a side job.
The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Kenneth Kelley, was part of a robbery ring that targeted rideshare drivers in the Houston area. According to officials, Kelley and five other young men were involved in a total of 19 different robberies of Uber and Lyft drivers, all following a similar pattern of drivers being held at gunpoint and forced to withdraw money after being driven around.
J.W. described the terrifying experience of being held at gunpoint by Kelley, who made sexual threats and assaulted her during the ride. She felt pressured to accept the ride, despite initially trying to decline it, and feared for her life as Kelley threatened her with a gun.
The lawsuit against Lyft alleges that the company failed to protect J.W. as a driver by not having proper safety measures in place. It states that Kelley’s first victim was kidnapped in April 2023 and reported the crimes to Lyft, but the company failed to inform the police in a timely manner, allowing Kelley to continue using the Lyft app.
J.W. believes that Lyft’s lack of proper identification procedures for riders, such as providing a photo of the rider, contributed to the incident. She expressed her devastation over the ordeal, stating that she almost lost her life over a $3.95 ride with someone using a false name and account.
Kelley has been indicted on multiple state criminal charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated kidnapping, and sexual assault. He has been taken into custody by U.S. Marshals.
ABC13 reached out to Lyft for a comment on the lawsuit and allegations but has not received a response. The victim’s attorneys at Blizzard Greenberg are representing her in the lawsuit against Lyft and Kelley.
For updates on this story, follow Brooke Taylor on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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– Driver suing Lyft after alleged kidnapping and assault tied to Houston-area robbery ring
– Lyft driver lawsuit alleges kidnapping and assault by suspect connected to Houston-area crime spree.
