A routine Lyft ride turned into a nightmare for an Arizona woman last week when her drivers passed her destination and refused to stop, leaving her stranded in an isolated field. The incident has raised further concerns about passenger safety in ridesharing services.
On November 6, the woman, a mother of two relying on rideshares while her car was being repaired, requested a Lyft to pick up her children after a long workday. During the ride, she struck up a conversation with her driver, Justice Levon, before dozing off in the back seat. When she awoke, she realized they had driven far past her stop. “I said, ‘Hey sir, you missed my stop,’” she recounted, but Levon reportedly continued driving, muttering, “Allah, Allah, am I doing ok?”
Fearing for her safety, she called 911, telling the dispatcher, “I was scared for my life. I don’t know what his intentions are.” Her phone eventually died, but Levon finally stopped and let her out in a field just as police arrived.
According to authorities, Levon told officers he believed the passenger was “the voice in his head.” The driver disclosed a history of schizoaffective and bipolar disorders, raising questions about mental health screenings for rideshare drivers.
Following the incident, Lyft issued a statement, saying, “Safety is fundamental to Lyft, and the incident described is deeply troubling. We have permanently removed the driver from the Lyft platform, contacted the rider to offer support, and stand ready to assist law enforcement with any investigation.”
The passenger, who was unharmed physically, remains shaken and has yet to return to work. This alarming episode highlights the potential risks passengers face and reinforces the need for stringent safety protocols within the rideshare industry.