A Houston woman has filed a lawsuit against Lyft, alleging that she was sexually assaulted and held at gunpoint while working as a driver for the ride-hailing company.
Represented by attorneys at Blizzard Greenberg, the victim, identified in court documents as J.W., named both Lyft and Kenneth Kelley, her alleged attacker, in the lawsuit. Authorities later connected Kelley to a robbery ring accused of committing multiple crimes against rideshare drivers.
Former Lyft Driver Sues the Company After Experiencing Assault and Kidnapping
A federal grand jury in Houston has brought charges against Kelley and five others, including robbery in commerce and the use of firearms during violent crimes.
Attorney Anna Greenberg, representing J.W., emphasized the former driver's fear for her life during the incident. Greenberg criticized Lyft's safety policies, arguing that they prioritize passenger safety over that of drivers. She suggested that more robust safety measures for drivers could have prevented the incident.
The incident reportedly took place in June 2023. J.W., who worked part-time for Lyft to supplement her income, declined a ride request to return home to her family as her shift ended.
However, the Lyft app reportedly warned her about potential penalties for declining rides, such as losing her ability to drive for the platform. When the same passenger requested another ride, J.W. accepted.
J.W. accepted a ride request from a passenger named Kelley, who allegedly wielded a gun as they approached the drop-off location. Holding it against J.W.'s head, Kelley demanded she keep driving.
According to the lawsuit, Kelley explicitly threatened J.W. and outlined his intentions, prompting her to pray aloud and engage him in conversation, hoping for survival.
Kelley reportedly instructed J.W. to a dead-end street, where he forced her out of the vehicle and sexually assaulted her. Despite promising to return and pick him up, J.W. instead contacted law enforcement after she managed to re-enter her car.
Subsequently, the Houston Police apprehended Kelley and his associates, accused of a crime spree spanning nearly three months, targeting rideshare drivers through abductions, robberies, and assaults.
'Losing Her Life Over a $3.94 Ride'
The lawsuit cited public records revealing that Kelley's initial reported victim suffered kidnapping and robbery in April 2023. Despite the driver's report to Lyft, the company allegedly failed to promptly inform the police, enabling Kelley to persist in using the platform.
The complaint suggests that this purported inaction facilitated additional crimes against other drivers and the assault on J.W. Apart from facing federal charges, Kelley has also been indicted on 10 state criminal charges, including aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and sexual assault. US Marshals have taken him into custody.
"My client was terrified of losing her life over a $3.94 ride," Greenberg said in a statement. "Lyft's safety policies are inadequate and are geared towards protecting passengers, rather than both passengers and drivers. This horrifying incident could have been avoided if only the company would make driver safety a priority too."
