Local media in Houston featured Blizzard Greenberg’s case against Lyft, which alleges negligence after a rideshare diver was kidnapped, sexually assaulted by a customer.
The plaintiff, identified as J.W. in the lawsuit, shared the details of the horrifying incident with Houston’s ABC 13 and Fox 26 news.
In June of 2023, J.W. was working as a Lyft driver when she accepted a ride that she had wanted to decline.
“It had a message, and it said if I didn’t take the ride, I could be penalized,” she told ABC 13. “I felt pressured, and I took the ride.”
As they approached the drop off location, the rider, identified as Kenneth Kelley, pulled out a gun and demanded she continue driving. Upon reaching a dead-end street, Kelley assaulted her.
J.W. was able to get back into her car and drive away after promising Kelley she would return to pick him up later. Instead, she contacted police. Kelley was taken into custody by the U.S. marshals.
“My client was terrified of losing her life over a $3.94 ride,” trial lawyer Anna Greenberg told the news. “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.”
The case is J.W. v Lyft, Inc. et al., cause number 2024-33708 in Harris County District Court.