Houston woman sues Lyft after allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting her

HOUSTON – A Houston-area woman who was sexually assaulted and robbed at gunpoint while working as a Lyft driver has filed a lawsuit against the ride-sharing company.

The victim, identified as JW, is represented by Blizzard Greenberg. The lawsuit names both Lyft and the attacker, Kenneth Kelley, who police have linked to a robbery ring that targets rideshare drivers. This criminal group is believed to be responsible for a series of crimes against more than a dozen drivers.

Recently, a grand jury in federal court in Houston indicted 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.

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“My client was terrified of losing her life over a $3.94 ride,” said Anna Greenberg, an attorney specializing in sexual harassment cases. “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 prioritized driver safety.”

In June 2023, JW was working part-time as a Lyft driver and declined a ride request to finish her shift and return home. However, the Lyft app warned her that refusing rides could result in penalties, including potentially losing her driving license. When the same passenger requested a ride again, she accepted it.

According to the law firm, after picking up the passenger, identified as Kelley, JW, as they approached the drop-off location, he pulled out a gun and put it to her head while ordering her to keep driving.

The lawsuit alleges that Kelley described the sexual acts he planned to perform on her, including holding the gun to her head. In his fear, JW prayed out loud and engaged Kelley in conversation, hoping he would spare her life.

After they stopped at a dead end street, Kelley ordered JW to get out of the car and sexually assaulted her. She got back in her car after promising to come back later to pick Kelley up, but instead she immediately called the police.

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Houston police quickly arrested Kelley and his co-conspirators on suspicion of a three-month crime spree that included kidnapping, robbing and assaulting rideshare drivers.

According to the lawsuit, public records show that Kelley’s first known Lyft victim was kidnapped and robbed in April 2023. Although the driver reported the crimes to Lyft, the company allegedly did not promptly notify police, allowing Kelley to continue using the Lyft app and commit additional crimes, including attacking JW

Kelley was arrested by the U.S. Marshals and faces ten state charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault.