Lyft driver sues company for $1 million after being kidnapped and sexually assaulted by armed driver with long criminal past

HOUSTON – A Houston-area woman has filed a lawsuit against Lyft after she was held at gunpoint, kidnapped and sexually assaulted by a passenger while working for the company, the lawsuit says.

A grand jury in a federal court in Houston indicted the suspect, 19-year-old Kenneth Kelley, and five others on a total of 24 counts, including obstruction of public commerce by robbery and use and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

In addition to the federal charges, Kelley was also charged at the state level with 10 additional counts, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault.

One of the victims, JW, is represented by attorneys at Blizzard Greenberg Law Firm. She is suing Lyft for $1 million after suffering mental anguish, emotional stress and psychological trauma, the lawsuit states.

Police say Kelley is linked to a gang of robbers responsible for a series of crimes against more than a dozen rideshare drivers.

“My client was terrified of losing her life for a $3.94 ride,” said sexual assault attorney Anna Greenberg. “Lyft’s safety policies are inadequate and focused on protecting riders, not riders and drivers. This horrific incident could have been avoided if the company had also made driver safety a priority.”

What happened

JW said she worked part-time as a Lyft driver in June 2023 to make some extra money. She was reportedly paired with a certain Kelley, who was traveling under a false name and declined the ride request because she wanted to finish her shift and go home.

In the Lyft app, the lawsuit says, JW was warned that refusing rides could result in penalties for drivers, including losing her license to drive for the company. She then received a second request from the same passenger and accepted it.

According to the documents, JW picked up Kelley, and as she approached the drop-off location, he allegedly pulled out a gun, put it to her head and ordered her to drive away.

According to the lawsuit, Kelley began describing the sexual acts he planned to perform on her, which included holding a gun to the back of her head during the attack.

JW reportedly began praying out loud and talking to the attacker, hoping he would let her live.

According to the complaint, after turning onto a dead-end street, Kelley ordered JW to get out of the car, whereupon he sexually assaulted her. She was able to get back in her car and drive away after promising Kelley she would come back later to pick him up, but instead she called the police.

Kelley and his co-conspirators are accused of committing a crime spree spanning nearly three months that included kidnapping, robbing, and assaulting rideshare drivers. Officers with the Houston Police Department arrested Kelley and took him into the custody of U.S. Marshals.

Suspect in connection with other related crimes

According to the lawsuit, public records show that Kelley’s first Lyft victim was kidnapped and robbed in April 2023. After the driver reported the crimes to Lyft, the lawsuit accuses the company of failing to notify police in a timely manner, which reportedly allowed Kelley to continue using the app.

The lawsuit alleges that the company’s negligence led to the crimes against other rideshare drivers and the attack on JW.