A Lyft rider stabbed his pregnant driver, which killed the woman and her unborn child. He then stole her car and drove almost 150 miles before being arrested near the California border in Arizona.
The female driver was 39 and was at the end of her pregnancy. She had two other young children. The man was being held at a local jail on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder and one count each of kidnapping and armed robbery.
According to reports, the woman was working very early on a Sunday morning as a Lyft driver when she received a pickup request. She picked the man up and drove to an apartment complex, where he attacked her and fled in her SUV. Police officers responded to the apartment complex after receiving reports of a woman screaming in the parking lot. They found the woman suffering from multiple stab wounds and she was transported to the hospital, where she and the baby died.
GPS tracking was used to locate the stolen SUV on the interstate about 25 miles from the Arizona-California line. Police do not believe the driver and the passenger knew each other, and a motive for the killing remains unidentified. Lyft says that it is cooperating with the investigating and that the passenger’s account has been permanently deactivated.
Although Uber and Lyft are very convenient and can be a good way to get around, they can also be very dangerous, both for passengers and drivers. Uber and Lyft are notorious for doing insufficient background checks on their drivers. There is also no checking done on the passengers. This has resulted in countless assaults and even a few murders between drivers and riders.
If you have been involved in an incident involving an Uber or a Lyft vehicle, you should speak with an attorney. You may be able to obtain compensation. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.